&w=3840&q=100)
Israel unveils new West Bank settlement plan that 'buries the idea of Palestinian state'
Maale Adumim is a Jewish settlement in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where over 400,000 Israelis live alongside 2.6 million Palestinians. (Photo: Reuters)
Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced plans to resettle the West Bank, drawing widespread criticism from Palestinians and rights advocates who say the project would change prospects of a future Palestinian state by dividing the region into two parts.
While announcing the plan on Thursday, Smotrich said, 'This reality finally buries the idea of a Palestinian state, because there is nothing to recognise and no one to recognise. Anyone in the world who tries today to recognise a Palestinian state – will receive an answer from us on the ground.'
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The announcement comes at a time when more and more countries are stepping forward to recognise the state of Palestine.
Development in E1, an open tract of land east of Jerusalem, has been under consideration for more than two decades, but was frozen due to US pressure during previous administrations. On Thursday, Smotrich praised President Donald Trump and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee as 'true friends of Israel as we have never had before.'
What does the plan entail?
The E1 plan has not yet received its final approval, which is expected next week. The plan includes around 3,500 apartments to expand the settlement of Maale Adumim, Smotrich said.
While some bureaucratic steps remain, if the process moves quickly, infrastructure work could begin in the next few months and construction of homes could start in around a year.
The finance minister said that he has got a green signal from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his plans.
'He backs me up in everything concerning Judea and Samaria, and is letting me create the revolution,' Smotrich said.
Rights groups protest
Rights groups swiftly condemned the plan. Peace Now called it 'deadly for the future of Israel and for any chance of achieving a peaceful two-state solution' which is 'guaranteeing many more years of bloodshed.'
The announcement comes as the Palestinian Authority and Arab countries condemned Netanyahu's statement in an interview on Tuesday that he was 'very' attached to the vision of a Greater Israel. He did not elaborate, but supporters of the idea believe that Israel should control not only the occupied West Bank but parts of Arab countries.
With inputs from agencies
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
2 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
China blames Philippine vessels for ‘dangerous manoeuvres' after its ships collided
China's defence ministry accused Philippine coast guard vessels of "dangerous manoeuvres" in response to reports of Monday's collision between two Chinese vessels near Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea. An aerial view of a China Coast Guard ship navigating near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, as Philippine Coast Guard aircraft carrying journalists patrol the area.(REUTERS) The Philippine Coast Guard vessels' actions "seriously endangered the safety of Chinese vessels and personnel," ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin said on Friday. "China reserves the right to take necessary countermeasures," the spokesperson added. Footage from the Philippine Coast Guard showed a Chinese Coast Guard ship trailing the PCG vessel before a Chinese navy ship suddenly cut across the path of the former, colliding with it and damaging the forecastle of the coast guard vessel.
Indian Express
2 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Trump-Putin Alaska Summit Live Updates: All eyes on peace deal as US, Russian Presidents meet in Alaska for talks on Ukraine war
Trump-Putin Summit Live Updates: US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet tomorrow at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, for high-stakes discussions on the war in Ukraine. The meeting is scheduled for 11:30 am Alaska time (3:30 pm ET), which will be midnight in India on August 16. This marks Putin's first visit to the US state and the first in-person meeting between the two leaders since Trump's return to the White House. Ceasefire hopes: Trump has expressed hopes that Putin may agree to a deal on Ukraine, while the Kremlin has signalled that some terms could be reached during the talks. In an August 14 interview on Fox News Radio, Trump likened the talks to a 'chess game,' estimating there is a '25 per cent chance' they might fail to advance peace negotiations. He warned there would be 'very severe consequences' for Moscow if Putin refuses to end the war.. Stakes for both leaders: The summit comes as Putin faces mounting economic strain from Western sanctions and Trump seeks to bolster his credentials as a global peacemaker, reported Reuters. Analysts caution, however, that any potential ceasefire could leave Russia with the flexibility to escalate the conflict in the future. With Russian forces controlling nearly one-fifth of Ukraine, key sticking points include territorial disputes, Ukraine's NATO ambitions, and the size of its armed forces. Live Updates 14:21 (IST) 15 Aug 2025 Trump-Putin Summit Live Updates: Ukrainian defenses face a challenge as Russian troops make gains ahead of the Putin-Trump summit Days before US and Russian leaders meet in Alaska, Moscow's forces breached Ukrainian lines in Donetsk, making limited gains but raising concerns for Kyiv. Analysts warn President Vladimir Putin may use the advances to pressure US President Donald Trump into pushing Ukraine toward concessions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Putin wants Ukraine to withdraw from the remaining 30% of Donetsk it controls as part of a ceasefire, a proposal he rejected. Russia annexed Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia in 2022 but still lacks full control. Russian troops advanced about 10 km near Dobropillia, slipping past Ukraine's first defensive line. Zelenskyy said the timing aimed to create a 'backdrop' ahead of the summit, suggesting Russia is advancing. A Ukrainian drone pilot said Russian forces exploit the shortage of infantry, calling it a costly problem tied to stalled mobilization and poor management. First-person-view drones have helped slow attacks, but small Russian groups are hard to counter. Analyst Mykola Bieleskov said Russia's manpower advantage is key: 'They have no regard for human life.' He added Ukraine needs new defenses and leadership structures. Ukraine has deployed reinforcements, including the Azov brigade, but maps show no gains for Kyiv. Russia is pushing to cut supply routes rather than storm fortified cities. If successful, this could bypass Kostiantynivka and threaten Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, and Druzhkivka. Cmdr. Serhii Filimonov warned Kostiantynivka could fall if supply lines are cut, making defense 'extremely difficult.' On the summit, Filimonov criticised negotiating with Moscow amid ongoing attacks: 'And then the civilized world comes to them and says, 'Fine, let's make a deal.' That's not how it should be done.' 14:18 (IST) 15 Aug 2025 Trump-Putin Summit Live Updates: Agenda and stakes for both countries The war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year since Russia's full-scale invasion, will dominate the discussions. Trump has described the meeting as 'setting the table' for a possible follow-up that could include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In an August 14 interview on Fox News Radio, Trump likened the talks to a 'chess game,' estimating there is a '25 per cent chance' they might fail to advance peace negotiations. He warned there would be 'very severe consequences' for Moscow if Putin refuses to end the war. Trump has floated a 'land swap' deal requiring both Russia and Ukraine to cede territory to one another — an idea firmly rejected by Kyiv. 'Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier,' Zelenskyy declared in an August 9 video posted on X. 14:17 (IST) 15 Aug 2025 Trump-Putin Summit Live Updates: Here is the meeting schedule According to USA Today, the meeting is scheduled to start at 11:30 am Alaska time (3:30 pm ET), which will be midnight in India on August 16. A joint press conference is expected to follow. The talks will take place at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, a military installation hosting about 30,000 service members, their families, and civilian employees. The base lies roughly 700 miles from Russia's border. Reuters reported that Trump will leave the White House at 6:45 am EDT (4:15 pm IST) on Friday, travel for about six to seven hours aboard Air Force One, and arrive in Anchorage for the summit.
Hindustan Times
2 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Australian lawyer apologises for AI-generated ‘fictitious quotes' in murder case
A senior lawyer in Australia has apologized to a judge for filing submissions in a murder case that included fake quotes and nonexistent case judgments generated by artificial intelligence. Australian lawyer apologises in court for AI-generated fake quotes and case citations in a murder trial.(Representational image/ REUTERS) The blunder in the Supreme Court of Victoria state is another in a litany of mishaps AI has caused in justice systems around the world. Defense lawyer Rishi Nathwani, who holds the prestigious legal title of King's Counsel, took 'full responsibility' for filing incorrect information in submissions in the case of a teenager charged with murder, according to court documents seen by The Associated Press on Friday. 'We are deeply sorry and embarrassed for what occurred,' Nathwani told Justice James Elliott on Wednesday, on behalf of the defense team. The AI-generated errors caused a 24-hour delay in resolving a case that Elliott had hoped to conclude on Wednesday. Elliott ruled on Thursday that Nathwani's client, who cannot be identified because he is a minor, was not guilty of murder because of mental impairment. 'At the risk of understatement, the manner in which these events have unfolded is unsatisfactory,' Elliott told lawyers on Thursday. 'The ability of the court to rely upon the accuracy of submissions made by counsel is fundamental to the due administration of justice,' Elliott added. The fake submissions included fabricated quotes from a speech to the state legislature and nonexistent case citations purportedly from the Supreme Court. The errors were discovered by Elliott's associates, who couldn't find the cases and requested that defense lawyers provide copies. The lawyers admitted the citations 'do not exist' and that the submission contained 'fictitious quotes,' court documents say. The lawyers explained they checked that the initial citations were accurate and wrongly assumed the others would also be correct. The submissions were also sent to prosecutor Daniel Porceddu, who didn't check their accuracy. The judge noted that the Supreme Court released guidelines last year for how lawyers use AI. 'It is not acceptable for artificial intelligence to be used unless the product of that use is independently and thoroughly verified,' Elliott said. The court documents do not identify the generative artificial intelligence system used by the lawyers. In a comparable case in the United States in 2023, a federal judge imposed $5,000 fines on two lawyers and a law firm after ChatGPT was blamed for their submission of fictitious legal research in an aviation injury claim. Judge P. Kevin Castel said they acted in bad faith. But he credited their apologies and remedial steps taken in explaining why harsher sanctions were not necessary to ensure they or others won't again let artificial intelligence tools prompt them to produce fake legal history in their arguments. Later that year, more fictitious court rulings invented by AI were cited in legal papers filed by lawyers for Michael Cohen, a former personal lawyer for U.S. President Donald Trump. Cohen took the blame, saying he didn't realize that the Google tool he was using for legal research was also capable of so-called AI hallucinations. British High Court Justice Victoria Sharp warned in June that providing false material as if it were genuine could be considered contempt of court or, in the 'most egregious cases,' perverting the course of justice, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
