'Flagrant breach of international law': Israel approves widely condemned West Bank plan
Critics say the plan threatens a two-state solution and breaches international law.
The Israeli minister who announced the plan has himself said it would "bury" the idea of a Palestinian state. A widely condemned Israeli settlement plan that would cut across land that the Palestinians seek for a state received final approval on Wednesday, according to a statement from Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich. The approval of the E1 project, which would bisect the occupied West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem, was announced last week by Smotrich and received the final go-ahead from a defence ministry planning commission on Wednesday, he said. "With E1, we are delivering finally on what has been promised for years," Smotrich, an ultra-nationalist in the ruling right-wing coalition, said in a statement. "The Palestinian state is being erased from the table, not with slogans but with actions." Restarting the project could further isolate Israel, which has watched some Western allies frustrated by its continuation and planned escalation of the Gaza war announce they may recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
"We condemn the decision taken today on expanding this particular settlement, which ... will drive a stake through the heart of the two-state solution," said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. "We call on the government of Israel to halt all settlement activity."
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry also condemned the announcement, saying the E1 settlement would isolate Palestinian communities living in the area and undermine the possibility of a two-state solution. British foreign minister David Lammy said on X: "If implemented, it would divide a Palestinian state in two, mark a flagrant breach of international law and critically undermine the two-state solution."
A German government spokesperson commenting on the announcement told reporters that settlement construction violates international law and "hinders a negotiated two-state solution and an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not commented on the E1 announcement. However on Sunday, during a visit to Ofra, another West Bank settlement established a quarter of a century ago, he made broader comments, saying: "I said 25 years ago that we will do everything to secure our grip on the Land of Israel, to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, to prevent the attempts to uproot us from here. Thank God, what I promised, we have delivered."
The two-state solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict envisages a Palestinian state in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, existing side by side with Israel.
Western capitals and campaign groups have opposed the settlement project due to concerns that it could undermine a future peace deal with the Palestinians. The plan for E1, located adjacent to Maale Adumim and frozen in 2012 and 2020 amid objections from the US and European governments, involves the construction of about 3,400 new housing units.
Infrastructure work could begin within a few months, and house building in about a year, according to Israeli advocacy group Peace Now, which tracks settlement activity in the West Bank.
Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law. Israel disputes this, citing historical and biblical ties to the area and saying the settlements provide strategic depth and security.
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ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
Laura Tingle on Netanyahu vs Albanese
Sam Hawley: The Israeli leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, says Anthony Albanese is a weak leader who has betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews. But do we really need to be in lockstep with Israel as it broadens its assault on Gaza? Today, global affairs editor Laura Tingle on the dramatic slide in relations. I'm Sam Hawley on Gadigal land in Sydney. This is ABC News Daily. Sam Hawley: Laura, Benjamin Netanyahu has begun the mission to take over Gaza City. He really isn't listening to any of the international condemnation, is he? Laura Tingle: He's not. And he's also not listening to an exceptional level of opposition to this manoeuvre within Israel either, Sam. I mean, we've seen those massive, massive protests in Israel. News report: There are thousands of Israelis who turned out for this protest, blocking off an entire street. This is the culmination of a day of action right across the country, not only in cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, but in smaller locations as well. Laura Tingle: And there's a lot of, you know, anger and resistance to what he's doing there, but certainly there's no signs of him showing any interest in what the rest of the world says about either moving into Gaza City or, for that matter, further incursions into the West Bank. Sam Hawley: All right. Well, Laura, let's discuss now the stoush that is unfolding between Israel and Australia. The Israeli Prime Minister thinks our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, is weak. Just tell me about this statement he put on X this week. Laura Tingle: Yes, he basically said that Anthony Albanese was a weak politician who had betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews. Now, this is an incredibly strong and very personal comment to be making about any other world leader and has followed a series of escalations or deteriorations in the relationship. Sam Hawley: All right. Well, the Prime Minister, in response to that, he was quite measured in what he said, wasn't he? Laura Tingle: He was. He basically said, no, he doesn't take any of these things personally and just refused to rise to the bait of having a go back. Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister: Well, I treat leaders of other countries with respect. I engage with them in a diplomatic way. I don't take these things personally. Laura Tingle: But Prime Minister Netanyahu has sort of gradually been ramping up the pressure on Australia and other countries about this and about suggesting that Australia had a, you know, quote, anti-Israel attitude. And it's not entirely clear why he thinks this is a good manoeuvre, apart from anything else, in Australia, we tend to have always taken all of these things very personally. And if some foreign figure has criticised Australia or the Australian government, it's gone straight in to be red meat into the Australian political debate. But I think it's interesting now that there's been this combination of things happen. One, I think the Prime Minister's now got his bearings and his sort of level of confidence up about dealing with foreign policy. And he's very measured in these sorts of circumstances, whether it's Israel or the US or wherever. But I think also the political mood in Australia has changed, I think, both towards Israel and also in terms of the sort of hysteria politics, if you like. I mean, some figures in the opposition have been trying to run this very hard and saying this is a gross failure on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's part. But it has not sort of developed the momentum that it might have once done a couple of years ago. Sam Hawley: Yeah, I was going to say the federal opposition leader, Sussan Ley, she thinks or says that the relationship has been badly mismanaged. Sussan Ley, Opposition Leader: We are seeing a relationship that has deteriorated and the consequences of that are not good. The Prime Minister needs to explain how he is going to get this relationship that he has so badly mismanaged back on track. Sam Hawley: But that might not be the view among the wider Australian population, you think? Laura Tingle: Well, no, I mean, polls confirm the idea that Australians' sympathy towards Israel and warm feelings towards Israel have been really hit hard by what has occurred in Gaza over the last 22 months, no matter how terrible the original attack might have been. But the actions of the Israeli government, as opposed to the Israeli people, have really lowered the sympathy level, if you like, towards Israel. So I think that's a really big difference. And I think just sort of saying that this is all the Prime Minister's fault doesn't really tally. It's sort of a bit akin with the sorts of comments that, for example, Prime Minister Netanyahu makes about Gaza, which seem to be at such odds with what people are seeing with their own eyes on television every night. Sam Hawley: Well, the Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, he did go a lot further than the Prime Minister in response to Netanyahu's comments. Tony Burke, Home Affairs Minister: Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry. Strength is much better measured by exactly what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has done, which is when there's a decision that we know Israel won't like, he goes straight to Benjamin Netanyahu. Sam Hawley: Interesting, the peak Jewish body, the Executive Council of the Australian Jewry and its head, Alex Ryvchin, he's actually expressed concern about the wording by Netanyahu and by Mr Burke. He really is saying, take the heat out of this. Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australia Jewry: The Australian Jewish community is profoundly disturbed and concerned by the rapidly deteriorating state of relations between our government and the government of the state of Israel. There are serious issues to transact between the two governments, but none of this is served or advanced through this public exchange of insults that's taking place right now. Sam Hawley: That's important, isn't it? Laura Tingle: I think it's really important. And he's not the only leader of the Jewish community or the only Jewish association who has said these things. Now, Tony Burke was incredibly strong and you could hear the anger in his voice when he did the interview the other morning. But Australian Jewish figures are sort of very concerned about the backlash from Prime Minister Netanyahu's comments on their own community. So, you know, there's quite a deal of alarm about that. And in fact, somebody was telling me the other day that there had been some relief, even amongst sort of harder line people who've been very critical of the government, that the government had actually refused the visa of a far right member of the Knesset, Mr Rothman, from coming to Australia because they were concerned that it would once again just stir up anti-Semitic sentiment in Australia, which helps no one. So I think this was very significant. I mean, these groups, particularly the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, have been very critical of the government and of the Prime Minister for the last couple of years, saying that they haven't done enough to combat anti-Semitism. So they're not coming from a position where, you know, they're naturally aligned, shall we say, with the government. And the fact that they've come out and said these things, I think is telling, as is, Sam, the fact that the Israeli ambassador to Australia actually distanced himself from the Prime Minister's comments. It's pretty extraordinary. Sam Hawley: Yeah. So just on that issue of the visa refusal for this Israeli, I mean, he's a far right Israeli politician, Simcha Rothman. Would that have been a decision that would have angered Israel, do you think? Laura Tingle: Well, I think the timing's been interesting. I mean, if we just go back through the timeline a little bit, things have deteriorated, shall we say, since the government announced earlier this month that Australia would be recognising the state of Palestine when the UN General Assembly is on in New York later in September. Now, other countries had done that and Israel had been critical of those decisions, saying it played into the hands of Hamas. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister: To have European countries and Australia march into that, march into that rabbit hole and buy this canard is disappointing. And I think it's actually shameful. Laura Tingle: But this decision to cancel the visa seems to have tipped Mr Netanyahu over the edge into this really extreme language. But once again, I wonder the extent to which it's playing to a domestic audience using very sort of Trumpian language and the sorts of things that we see President Trump saying to his base about foreign policy issues as well. Sam Hawley: Well, Laura, Benjamin Netanyahu, he's now appeared in a Sky News interview in Australia where he's just doubled down on this criticism of Anthony Albanese. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister: But I think his record is forever tarnished by the weakness that he showed in the face of these Hamas terrorist monsters. You know, when the worst terrorist organisation on earth congratulate the Prime Minister of Australia, you know something is wrong. Sam Hawley: Interesting. All right. Well, Laura, let's then consider the history of our relationship with Israel. Of course, we've been closely associated with Israel since its founding after the Second World War. It's a really important relationship, isn't it, that Australia has? Laura Tingle: Well, it's an important relationship. And essentially, Australia played an absolutely crucial role in the founding of the state of Israel. We were the first country to vote in favour of the plan, even though the UK asked Commonwealth countries to abstain because, of course, this was about partitioning Palestine, which at that stage was a British colony. And we've continued to push the case for Israel in those international forums, defended Israel when it was seen to be under sort of unfair attack from other countries. So we've had a very strong relationship with Israel going right back to its absolutely formative days. Our view of Israel has gradually changed or our our sort of approach to Israel has gradually changed as it has made further and further incursions into land originally designated for the Palestinians. But the latter day rationale has always been, look, it's the democracy sitting in this sort of sea of non-democracies in the Middle East and the only functioning state and all those sorts of things. But I think the fact that the current government in Israel is so far to the right, plus all these charges in the International Criminal Court against both Prime Minister Netanyahu and other figures in the government, that the argument that it's a democracy we have to defend also looks a bit sad at the same time. Sam Hawley: What about then, Laura, social cohesion here? Netanyahu thinks Anthony Albanese has abandoned Australia's Jews. There has been concern about anti-Semitism in Australia. Could this be damaging? Laura Tingle: Well, I think as we've seen from comments from the Jewish community in Australia, they don't see it that way. You know, I think you mentioned the Executive Council of Australian Jewry's comments and they were saying that the suggestion that Mr Albanese has abandoned Australian Jews wasn't true, wasn't the sort of language they'd use, even though they've been critical of him and they don't think it helps. Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australia Jewry: We've expressed concerns for nearly two years now about some of the government's rhetoric and policies and handling of the anti-Semitism crisis. We've had serious misgivings and we've made them known, but we've never felt abandoned. We've always felt like we can speak to government and speak to the public of this country and make our case and make our appeal for a more harmonious society. But we've never felt abandoned by this government, no. Laura Tingle: So will it come back? Will the relationship come back? The question is what happens, I think, in terms of the domestic politics of Israel and what happens post Netanyahu. So, I mean, these are really important questions, but there's no reason to think that if Israel shows a more democratic approach in its internal affairs and particularly if its actions in Gaza don't continue and the West Bank, for that matter, don't continue to create outrage around the world, you know, I don't think Australians have any... They don't have any gripe with Israeli people. Sam Hawley: Laura Tingle is the ABC's global affairs editor. This episode was produced by Sydney Pead, Grant Wolter and Cinnamon Nippard. Audio production by Sam Dunn. Our supervising producer is David Coady. I'm Sam Hawley. ABC News Daily will be back again on Monday. Thanks for listening.
News.com.au
7 hours ago
- News.com.au
Netanyahu: Albanese's legacy ‘forever tarnished'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has unleashed a scathing attack on Anthony Albanese, declaring the Prime Minister's legacy will forever be stained by weakness in the face of Hamas. In a fiery 16-minute interview with Sky News host Sharri Markson, Mr Netanyahu revealed the full extent of his anger at Labor's decision to recognise a Palestinian state, accusing Mr Albanese of empowering terrorists and betraying Jewish Australians. 'I'm sure he has a reputable record as a public servant, but I think his record is forever tarnished by the weakness that he showed in the face of these Hamas terrorist monsters,' Mr Netanyahu said. 'When the worst terrorist organisation on earth, these savages who murdered women, raped them, beheaded men, burnt babies alive in front of their parents, took hundreds of hostages, when these people congratulate the Prime Minister of Australia, you know something is wrong.' The Israeli leader said Canberra's decision, alongside Britain, France and Canada and other countries, to support Palestinian recognition at the UN had only emboldened extremism. 'So when Prime Minister Albanese … says 'Oh we'll give them a Palestinian state,' they're actually rewarding terror,' Mr Netanyahu said. 'Last time I looked, Australia was part of the West … it's our common Judaeo-Christian civilisation. They want to tear it down and destroy it. 'It's appeasement. Pure and simple. He referenced Hitler pressuring democracies to force Czechoslovakia to surrender the Sudetenland in exchange for peace, only to 'immediately' start World War II. 'The worst war in the history of humanity, that claimed millions and millions of people, innocent people dead. Well, we're not gonna repeat that,' he said. The diplomatic feud has spiralled in recent days, with Israel revoking visas of Australian diplomats to the Palestinian Authority after Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke cancelled the visa of Israeli MP Simcha Rothman. Mr Albanese has downplayed the attacks, telling reporters earlier this week that he treats leaders with 'respect' and does not take personal offence. 'I don't take these things personally … He has had similar things to say about other leaders,' Mr Albanese said. But Mr Burke was far more blunt in his response, saying, 'Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry.' Speaking from his office in Jerusalem as Israeli forces massed around Gaza City, Mr Netanyahu vowed to press ahead with a complete takeover of the enclave, even if Hamas accepted a last-minute ceasefire proposal. 'We're gonna do that anyway. That there was never a question that we're not going to leave Hamas there,' he said. 'It's like leaving the SS in Germany … you clear out most of Germany, but you leave out Berlin with the SS and the Nazi core there.' Mr Netanyahu said the war could end immediately if Hamas surrendered and released the remaining hostages, but insisted Israel would not tolerate any Hamas stronghold. He said Israel would also never allow the creation of another Palestinian state next to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, describing it as a direct threat to Israel's existence. 'We're not going to commit suicide and put another Palestinian state right next to our doorstep in Tel Aviv or in Jerusalem,' Mr Netanyahu said. 'It's a tiny country and they wanted us to put in the middle of this tiny country another Palestinian state, because we just had one, a de facto Palestinian state in Gaza. 'And what did the Palestinians do with it? They built it down into terror tunnels into for their terrorist monsters. 'They'll do it again, they will kidnap people, they'll rape the women, they'll take the hostages and they'll go to the extermination of Israel. That's their goal.' On accusations that Israel is starving civilians and committing genocide in Gaza, Mr Netanyahu said such claims were 'lies' comparable to medieval blood libels against Jews. 'Israel is starving Palestinian children? What lies?' Mr Netanyahu said. 'I mean, we brought in two million tons of food into Gaza since the beginning of the war. Hamas has been stealing this food and selling the remainder at exorbitant price.' He stressed that Israel had gone further than any army in history to warn civilians before military strikes. 'Israel is doing what no other army has done … the lengths that we go to protect the civilian population has been unheard of, yet Israel is being vilified, just as in the Middle Ages,' he said. Mr Netanyahu said Israel had gone to unprecedented lengths to avoid civilian casualties, sending 'millions and millions of text messages' urging Palestinians to leave areas where Hamas had embedded itself, but claimed many were prevented from escaping because Hamas 'shoots them if they try to get out of harm's way'. Warning to the west Mr Netanyahu drew parallels between today's Western leaders and the 'slumber of democracies' before World War II, warning that appeasement of militant Islam would endanger nations such as Australia. 'The Western leaders, including unfortunately in Australia, are … trying to feed the crocodile of militant Islam … The more you pour fuel into this anti-Semitic, anti-Israel and anti-Western fire, the greater the fire will grow, it will consume you in the end,' he said. He also condemned violent pro-Palestinian rallies in Sydney and Melbourne, urging governments to 'defy' extremist slogans rather than yield to them. 'These people … should be counteracted, they should be opposed, and they should be defied by the leaders,' he said. Trump's support Mr Netanyahu also revealed he had the backing of US president Donald Trump, who he said regarded Australia's position on Palestinian statehood as 'irrelevant'. 'I think President Trump put it best, he says Hamas has to disappear from Gaza,' Mr Netanyahu said, adding that Mr Trump fully supported Israel's goal of eliminating Hamas' last stronghold in Gaza City. Anti-Semitism in Australia Tensions have been further inflamed by a spate of antisemitic attacks across Australia, with synagogues targeted and one subjected to an arson attempt. Mr Netanyahu said he was 'very dismayed' by the rise in anti-Semitic incidents on Australian streets, including the recent burning of a Melbourne synagogue. 'I've seen this tsunami of anti-Semitism, this racism, and this targeting of the innocents … these are horrible things, and you know, if you don't stop them when they're small, they get bigger and bigger and bigger and ultimately they consume your society,' he said. Warning that Western democracies were 'feeding the crocodile' of militant Islam, he urged leaders to show courage rather than bow to pressure. 'It's the weakness of democratic leaders who, at a time of testing, should stand up and show leadership. And leadership means standing up with the truth, standing up for your conviction, standing up for the right side of history and not for the wrong side,' he said. Australia's leading Jewish organisation has also stepped into the dispute, issuing a rare public rebuke of both Mr Netanyahu and Mr Albanese. In letters delivered this week, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) warned that the leaders' escalating 'war of words' was placing the Jewish community in a vulnerable position. The ECAJ described Mr Burke's remarks as 'incendiary and irresponsible', and criticised Mr Albanese's comments as 'excessive and gratuitously insulting', while condemning Mr Netanyahu's attacks on the Prime Minister as 'inflammatory and provocative'. 'The Australian Jewish community will not be left to deal with the fallout of a spat between two leaders who are playing to their respective domestic audiences,' The ECAJ said. In a private letter to Mr Albanese, revealed by Markson on Thursday night, Mr Netanyahu issued a stark warning: 'History will not forgive hesitation. It will honour action.' Despite the diplomatic rift, Mr Netanyahu said Israel would prevail in both the battlefield and propaganda war. 'I want to assure Australians that we will win,' he said. 'They may get away with pushing these lies against us, but we do not succumb on the battlefield. We roll back those who would exterminate us … and we'll secure the peace.' 'It's to free Gaza, free them from Hamas tyranny, free Israel and others from Hamas terrorism, give Gaza and Israel a different future, and I think we're close to doing it.'
Sky News AU
8 hours ago
- Sky News AU
‘Appeasement is weakness': Netanyahu warns Albanese over Palestinian recognition
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed in his letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese that recognising a Palestinian state was not diplomacy, but 'appeasement'. 'Israel is a small democracy, the only democracy in the Middle East that is being assaulted by terrorist organisations and other proxies of Iran and by Iran itself, and they openly call for our destruction,' Mr Netanyahu told Sky News host Sharri Markson. 'And what do these countries do? … They're condemning Israel, they want to put Israel at tremendous risk by giving this strategic place right next to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to these Palestinians who want to destroy Israel, they don't even hide it. 'The more your pour fuel into his antisemitic, anti-Israel and anti-western fire, the greater the fire will grow, it will consume you in the end.'
