Israel Minister Says 'We Will Build Jewish Israeli State' in West Bank
Israeli settlements in the West Bank, seen as a major obstacle to lasting peace, are regularly condemned by the United Nations as illegal under international law, and Thursday's announcement drew sharp foreign criticism.
"This is a decisive response to the terrorist organizations that are trying to harm and weaken our hold on this land -- and it is also a clear message to (French President Emmanuel) Macron and his associates: they will recognize a Palestinian state on paper -- but we will build the Jewish Israeli state here on the ground," Katz was quoted as saying Friday in a statement from his office.
"The paper will be thrown into the trash bin of history, and the State of Israel will flourish and prosper."
Katz was speaking during a visit to the Sa-Nur settlement outpost in the northern West Bank.
Sa-Nur was evacuated in 2005 as part of Israel's disengagement from Gaza, promoted by then prime minister Ariel Sharon.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.
During a visit to Singapore on Friday, French President Macron asserted that recognition of a Palestinian state, with some conditions, was "not only a moral duty, but a political necessity".
An international conference meant to resurrect the idea of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is set to take place in June at the UN headquarters in New York.
A diplomat in Paris close to preparations for the conference said it should pave the way for more countries to recognize a Palestinian state.
Macron said in April that France could recognize a Palestinian state in June.
Following Israel's announcement of the new settlements on Thursday, Britain called the move a "deliberate obstacle" to Palestinian statehood, while UN chief Antonio Guterres's spokesman said it pushed efforts towards a two-state solution "in the wrong direction".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
17 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
Russia says it is concerned about threat of new strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday that Moscow was concerned about the threat of new strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, and a deal on Tehran's nuclear program could be reached through dialogue. Israel and the United States bombed Iranian nuclear sites in June. Zakharova said a promise of no new strikes was a prerequisite for the resumption of cooperation between Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog.
Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
Boursa Kuwait net profit surges 61% in H1
RIYADH: A rise in operating revenues and profitability drove Boursa Kuwait's net profit to 15.11 million Kuwaiti dinars ($49.4 million) in the first half of 2025 — a 61.12 percent annual increase. The growth was underpinned by a 41.13 percent year-on-year rise in total operating revenues to 24.20 million dinars, alongside a 59.53 percent boost in operating profit to 18.47 million dinars, according to a release. Earnings per share surged in tandem, rising from 46.71 fils to 75.27 fils by June 30, while total assets reached 123.87 million dinars, reflecting a 9.26 percent increase year-on-year. Shareholders' equity attributable to equity holders of the parent company climbed 12.68 percent to 66.20 million dinars. The Boursa's growth aligns with the World Bank's forecast for Kuwait's non-oil sector, which is expected to expand by 1.6 percent in 2025, supported by renewed real credit growth and large-scale infrastructure projects such as the Northern Special Economic Zone and Silk City. Boursa Kuwait Chairman Bader Al-Kharafi said: 'These results reaffirm Boursa Kuwait's capacity to navigate the complex geopolitical and economic challenges experienced worldwide while maintaining sustainable growth supported by revenue diversification and enhanced liquidity levels.' He added: 'This growth marks a significant milestone in our journey, giving us greater momentum to advance our development plans to modernize market infrastructure, diversify investment instruments and strengthen its appeal to both local and international investors.' While the oil sector is projected to rebound with 2.2 percent real growth as OPEC+ production cuts ease from May, the broader fiscal outlook remains mixed, with the fiscal deficit forecast to widen to approximately 7.2 percent of gross domestic product due to weaker oil revenues. The performance coincides with major enhancements introduced under Part Two of Phase Three of the Market Development Program, a collaborative initiative involving Boursa Kuwait, the Capital Markets Authority, and Central Bank of Kuwait, as well as Kuwait Clearing Co., local banks, and investment and brokerage firms. Al-Kharafi credited the achievement to 'seamless collaboration across the capital market apparatus and a shared determination to create tangible value for investors,' affirming the company's commitment to 'delivering transformative milestones that secure the long-term sustainability of the national economy.' He also emphasized the role of the private sector, noting that this breakthrough 'underscores the private sector's agility and effectiveness in advancing development and forging impactful partnerships with the public sector.' He extended his gratitude to stakeholders, including shareholders, executive management, regulatory authorities, and investors, stating: 'Our commitment to deliver a superlative investment experience remains unwavering.' The Kuwaiti capital market recorded a surge in activity during the first half of 2025, with traded value jumping 90.39 percent to 12.63 billion dinars, while traded volume rose 82.95 percent to 49.45 billion shares. Market capitalization reached 50.53 billion dinars, a 23.20 percent increase year on year. The 'Premier' Market contributed significantly with traded value up 47.09 percent to 7.34 billion dinars and market capitalization up 24.45 percent to 42.27 billion dinars. Meanwhile, the 'Main' Market posted a 221.36 percent rise in traded value to 5.29 billion dinars, alongside a 17.20 percent growth in market capitalization to 8.27 billion dinars. Boursa Kuwait CEO Mohammad Saud Al-Osaimi highlighted the effectiveness of recent regulatory and operational reforms. 'These positive indicators showcase the robustness of the Kuwaiti capital market's regulatory framework and our continued efforts to enhance infrastructure, diversify products and elevate the investor experience,' he said. He noted the strategic role of market segmentation, stating: 'The 'Premier' Market has maintained stable trading values, while the 'Main' Market has shown remarkable activity.' In pursuit of a stronger international presence, Boursa Kuwait has engaged in roadshows and corporate days in partnership with global financial institutions. These included events in Asia and London, showcasing the exchange's progress and investment potential. Al-Osaimi said: 'Through active engagement with world-renowned investment banks, sovereign wealth funds, pension funds and asset management firms, the exchange has cultivated a robust investor base.' He added that institutional investors account for 65.08 percent of participants. The CEO reiterated the exchange's commitment to expanding its product range, enhancing market efficiency, and strengthening investor confidence through transparency and governance. Since its privatization in 2019 and self-listing in 2020, Boursa Kuwait has introduced multiple market development phases aimed at boosting its global standing and supporting Kuwait's broader economic vision.
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
Israeli rights groups break taboo with accusations of genocide
JERUSALEM: When two human rights groups became the first major voices in Israel to accuse the state of committing genocide in Gaza, breaking a taboo in a country founded after the Holocaust, they were prepared for a backlash. B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights Israel released reports at a press conference in Jerusalem on Monday, saying Israel was carrying out 'coordinated, deliberate action to destroy Palestinian society in the Gaza Strip.' That marked the strongest possible accusation against the state, which vehemently denies it. The charge of genocide is deeply sensitive in Israel because of its origins in the work of Jewish legal scholars in the wake of the Nazi Holocaust. Israeli officials have rejected genocide allegations as antisemitic. So Sarit Michaeli, B'Tselem's international director, said the group expected to face attacks for making the claim in a country still traumatized by October 7, 2023. 'We've looked into all of the risks that we could be facing. These are legal, reputation, media risks, other types of risk, societal risks and we've done work to try and mitigate these risks,' said Michaeli, whose organization is seen as being on the political fringe in Israel but is respected internationally. 'We are also quite experienced in attacks by the government or social media, so this is not the first time.' It's not unrealistic 'to expect this issue, which is so fraught and so deeply contentious within Israeli society and internationally to lead to an even greater reaction,' she said. Israel's foreign ministry and prime minister's office did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Shortly after the reports were released on Monday, government spokesperson David Mencer said: 'Yes, of course we have free speech in Israel.' He strongly rejected the reports' findings and said that such accusations fostered anti-semitism abroad. Some Israelis have expressed concern over Israel's military campaign in Gaza that has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, destroyed much of the enclave and led to widespread hunger. An international global hunger monitor said on Tuesday a famine scenario was unfolding in the Gaza Strip, with malnutrition soaring, children under five dying of hunger-related causes and humanitarian access severely restricted. 'For me, life is life, and it's sad. No one should die there,' said nurse Shmuel Sherenzon, 31. But the Israeli public generally rejects allegations of genocide. Most of the 1,200 people killed and the 251 taken hostage to Gaza in the October 7 attacks in southern Israel were civilians, including men, women, children and the elderly. In an editorial titled 'Why are we blind to Gaza?' published on the mainstream news site Ynet last week, Israeli journalist Sever Plocker said images of ordinary Palestinians rejoicing over the attacks in and even following the militants to take part in violence made it almost impossible for Israelis to feel compassion for Gazans in the months that followed. 'The crimes of Hamas on October 7 have deeply burned – for generations – the consciousness of the entire Jewish public in Israel, which now interprets the destruction and killing in Gaza as a deterrent retaliation and therefore also morally legitimate.' Israel has fended off accusations of genocide since the early days of the Gaza war, including a case brought by South Africa at the International Court of Justice in the Hague that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned as 'outrageous.' While Israeli human rights groups say it can be difficult working under Israel's far-right government, they don't experience the kind of tough crackdowns their counterparts face in other parts of the Middle East. Israel has consistently said its actions in Gaza are justified as self-defense and accuses Hamas of using civilians as human shields, a charge the militant group denies. Israeli media has focused more on the plight of hostages taken by Hamas, in the worst single attack on Jews since the Holocaust. In this atmosphere, for B'Tselem's Israeli staff members to come to the stark conclusion that their own country was guilty of genocide was emotionally challenging, said Yuli Novak, the organization's executive director. 'It's really incomprehensible, it's a phenomena that the mind cannot bear,' Novak said, choking up. 'I think many of our colleagues are struggling at the moment, not only fear of sanctions but also to fully grasp this thing.' Guy Shalev, executive director of Physicians for Human Rights Israel, said the organization faced a 'wall of denial.' It has been under pressure for months and is expecting a stronger backlash after releasing its report. 'Bureaucratic, legal, financial institutions such as banks freezing accounts including ours, and some of the challenges we expect to see in the next efforts will intensify,' he told Reuters.
