Israel approves biggest expansion of West Bank settlements in decades
For months, Israel's military has carried out a massive operation in the West Bank, deploying tanks to the territory for the first time in decades and displacing tens of thousands of Palestinians.
In February, Katz ordered the military 'to prepare for a prolonged presence' as the military evacuated Palestinian refugee camps. Within the last several weeks, Israeli forces have carried out multiple waves of raids and arrests across the West Bank.
He added the new settlements are 'illegal under international law, further imperil the two-state solution, and do not protect Israel.'
The decision this week to expand settlements sparked international criticism. The United Kingdom's minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Hamish Falconer, called the move a 'deliberate obstacle to Palestinian statehood.'
Jordan's foreign ministry also lambasted the move, saying in a statement that it 'represents a deliberate disregard for ongoing international calls to halt settlement activity and violations in the occupied Palestinian territories.'
'All Israeli actions and decisions in the West Bank are illegal and illegitimate,' the statement added.
Earlier this month, France joined the UK and Canada to threaten 'concrete actions,' including targeted sanctions against Israel, if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government did not allow far more aid into Gaza and cease settlement expansion in the West Bank.
Peace Now blasted the government for making such a decision in the midst of a war. 'The government is making clear – again and without restraint – that it prefers deepening the occupation and advancing de facto annexation over pursuing peace,' the organization said.
'The Israeli government no longer pretends otherwise: the annexation of the Occupied Territories and expansion of settlements is its central goal.'
The Oslo Accords, signed in 1993 between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), were designed to pave the way for the establishment of a Palestinian state and the realization of a two-state solution.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al-Ahram Weekly
42 minutes ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Gaza — a famine made by Israel - World - Al-Ahram Weekly
The ongoing famine affecting the Palestinians in Gaza has been deliberately engineered by Israel through its intensified blockade of the enclave. For months, the UN and its specialised agencies and international partners have been warning of a critical food situation and imminent famine in Gaza. As senior UN officials and experts have noted, 'famine doesn't happen suddenly.' This is particularly true of Gaza where the famine is man-made, deliberately engineered by Israel through its intensified blockade of the enclave. Last Friday, US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff headed to Gaza accompanied by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to follow up on efforts to distribute humanitarian aid and to meet with residents affected by the war. The previous day, Witkoff met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of an effort to revive the ceasefire talks, according to Reuters. These developments occurred amid increasing international pressure on Israel in response to the ongoing devastation and suffering caused by its military operations and use of starvation as a weapon of war. Hamas leader Izzat Al-Rishq dismissed Witkoff's visit to Gaza as a 'propaganda show'. Its sole purpose is 'to contain the mounting anger over the US-Israeli partnership in starving our people in the Gaza Strip,' he said. In Gaza, Witkoff will see only what the Israeli occupying power wants him to see, Al-Rishq pointed out. 'He views the ongoing tragedy through Israeli eyes. Certainly, he will not see the starvation machine — the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) — which prepares the ground for slaughter by the Israeli war machine,' he said. Since the GHF operations began, over 800 people have been killed and 5,200 have been injured while seeking food, according to Palestinian health authorities and other reports. UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) officials and others have described GHF distribution points as 'death traps.' Soldiers interviewed by Haaretz confirmed that they routinely use live fire against aid-seekers, killing several people per day. The Witkoff visit does not signify that Israel can no longer deny its crimes or that the US will no longer help to cover them up. US President Donald Trump has described the situation in Gaza as 'terrible,' saying 'that's real starvation. I see it, and you can't fake that.' Such remarks directly contradict Netanyahu's claim that the Israeli and international media are spreading 'false pictures.' However, Trump avoided assigning blame. When asked whether he agreed with his Republican ally, Congresswomen Marjorie Taylor Greene, who described the situation in Gaza as 'genocide,' he sidestepped the question. For many, the issue of famine in Gaza seems straightforward, especially when children are dying from starvation in large numbers. Yet, there appears to be some controversy among humanitarian workers and agencies over how to classify the situation in the Occupied Palestinian enclave. Nevertheless, according to ReliefWeb, a leading humanitarian information source on global crises, 'famine is no longer a looming threat in Gaza – it is a deadly reality.' Similarly, in a 29 July statement, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that 'Palestinians in Gaza are enduring a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions. This is not a warning. It is a reality unfolding before our eyes.' On 29 July, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a global initiative for monitoring and classifying food insecurity and famine risk, confirmed that two famine thresholds — catastrophic food insecurity and acute malnutrition in children — have been met across much of Gaza and that the crisis is particularly severe in Gaza City. On 27 July, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that over 40 per cent of pregnant and breastfeeding women in Gaza are severely malnourished, putting both maternal and infant lives at risk. Also, in Gaza City, nearly one in five children under five are acutely malnourished — triple the rate of the previous month. The third famine threshold is excess mortality. According to the IPC, this has not been officially confirmed, because deaths are difficult to verify in Gaza, where most of the health system has collapsed. This throws into relief a problem that agencies encounter in identifying famine: they rely on data which may not be available. 'It's a very high bar, and the nature of the process is that if the data aren't there, you say it's not a famine,' Alex de Waal, executive director of the World Peace Foundation at Tufts University in the US, said in an interview with the US network ABC News. De Waal, an expert on the Horn of Africa who has written extensively on famines and famine-related policies, added that even when a famine is declared it carries no legal obligation. 'The word 'famine' has no meaning in law,' he said. Many experts argue that famine should be declared in Gaza because, as history has shown, by the time a famine is officially recognised, it will be too late for many. Because the process is data driven, the UN cannot officially declare a famine, even when people are already dying of starvation, as is already happening in Gaza. Scott Paul, director of peace and security at NGO Oxfam America, told ABC News that in the Somalia famine in 2012 over half the deaths occurred before a famine was declared. 'So, the importance of taking action before famine is declared can't be overstated,' he said. Following the Somali famine of 2004, UN agencies developed a five-phase classification system to ensure timely declarations of famine. The IPC initiative was developed by 21 international organisations, including the World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the children's agency UNICEF, WHO, CARE International, and Oxfam. The five phases of acute food insecurity range from minimal/none (Phase 1) to catastrophe/famine (Phase 5): Phase 1 – Minimal / none: There is no acute food crisis. People can meet their basic food needs without resorting to irreversible coping strategies (like selling furniture or livestock). Less than five per cent of the population suffers from malnutrition. People have stable incomes and consume over 2,100 calories per day. Phase 2 – Stressed: People meet minimum food needs and can afford some essential non-food items without resorting to harmful coping mechanisms. Household income is irregular. Five to 10 per cent of the population suffers from acute malnutrition. People still get about 2,100 calories per day, which is barely enough to meet basic nutritional needs. Phase 3 – Crisis: Households face food consumption gaps and acute malnutrition, or they can only meet food needs by depleting essential assets. Food options are limited. Ten to 15 per cent of the population is acutely malnourished. Incomes drop sharply, and people must resort to crisis coping strategies to access required calories. Phase 4 – Emergency: Large food consumption gaps, extremely high rates of acute malnutrition, and excess mortality, or food needs are met only through the sale of remaining assets and income loss is irreversible. Some 15 to 30 per cent of the population suffer from acute malnutrition. People can only access three or fewer food groups (e.g., fruit, grains, and vegetables) and consume less than 2,100 calories per day. Phase 5 – Catastrophe/Famine: A complete lack of access to food and essential needs. 20 per cent of households face extreme food gaps and deprivation, after having exhausted all coping strategies. Hunger, death, destitution, and visible severe malnutrition are widespread. At least two out of every 10,000 people die daily from hunger or related disease. Over 30 per cent of the population suffers from acute malnutrition. Over 30 per cent of children under five suffer from wasting (a form of acute malnutrition.) Income sources are non-existent or collapsed, and people can only access one or two food groups. Caloric intake is critically insufficient. * A version of this article appears in print in the 7 August, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
See - Sada Elbalad
2 hours ago
- See - Sada Elbalad
Israeli soldiers with mental illnesses protest outside the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv
Amir haggag The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that dozens of Israeli soldiers with mental illnesses due to the Gaza war are protesting outside the Ministry of Defense to demand equality and treatment. The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported, citing the Ministry of Defense's Rehabilitation Department, that approximately 80,000 wounded soldiers are currently being treated. It added that 26,000 wounded soldiers suffer from mental disorders. The Ministry of Defense's Rehabilitation Department also explained that the number of wounded soldiers and the prevalence of suicide are a major challenge. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported, citing Israeli military investigations, that 16 soldiers have committed suicide since the beginning of the year due to combat conditions related to the war in Gaza. According to the Israeli military investigations, the results of which were published Sunday morning, the suicides are attributed to the difficult scenes the soldiers experienced, the loss of friends, and the inability to cope with the events. The Israeli occupation army conducts investigations into every suicide case, including examining messages left by soldiers and their conversations with their immediate surroundings. A senior military official told the Israeli Broadcasting Authority that "most cases of suicide among IDF soldiers are due to the complex circumstances that followed the war. War has consequences, these are difficult challenges, and there are many cases." He pointed out that the number of mental health officers for regular soldiers has increased by 200, and the number of mental health officers in the reserves has increased by 600. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters Arts & Culture "Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Business Egyptian Pound Undervalued by 30%, Says Goldman Sachs Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle Arts & Culture Lebanese Media: Fayrouz Collapses after Death of Ziad Rahbani Sports Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results
See - Sada Elbalad
3 hours ago
- See - Sada Elbalad
"Zad Al-Ezza" Aid Convoys from Egypt to Gaza Continue for Tenth Day
Amir haggag The Egyptian Red Crescent announced the continuation of its food aid efforts for the Gaza Strip as a national mechanism for coordinating aid to the Strip, with the dispatch of more "Zad Al-Ezza" convoys from Egypt to Gaza for the tenth day. The convoy included 3,000 tons of relief aid to Gaza, including food supply chains, medical supplies, therapeutic medicines, and personal care items. This comes within the framework of Egypt's commitment and ongoing efforts to provide the necessary food and health support to the civilian population in Gaza. The Egyptian Red Crescent, as a national mechanism for coordinating and dispatching aid to Gaza, has been present on the border since the beginning of the crisis, as the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian side has not been completely closed. It has continued its readiness at all logistical centers for the entry of aid, which has reached more than 35,000 trucks carrying approximately half a million tons of humanitarian and relief aid, thanks to the efforts of 35,000 volunteers from the association. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters Arts & Culture "Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Business Egyptian Pound Undervalued by 30%, Says Goldman Sachs Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle Arts & Culture Lebanese Media: Fayrouz Collapses after Death of Ziad Rahbani Sports Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results
