In Israel, the far right seeks to approve a settlement project that would split the West Bank in two
The territory has been illegally occupied by Israel since 1967. The consequences of this announcement, if carried out, would be dramatic: With this settlement of 3,000 housing units, known by the code name E1 and located in the city of Ma'ale Adumim, the already fragmented West Bank would be split in two, making the creation of a viable Palestinian state almost impossible.
"These are illegal decisions and proposals and we hope that the world community will never allow Israel to force its laws on the Palestinian land," responded the Palestinian Authority. The Israeli NGO Peace Now condemned the plan, calling it "deadly for the future of Israel and for any chance of achieving a peaceful two-state solution." The announcement sparked outrage among Arab countries.
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France 24
14 hours ago
- France 24
France urges Israel to abandon controversial West Bank E1 settlement plan
France 's foreign ministry Saturday called on Israel to drop a plan to build thousands of new homes in the West Bank, calling the project "a serious violation of international law". "France calls on Israel to abandon this project, which constitutes a serious violation of international law," said a French foreign ministry statement. It came days after Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has approved plans for a settlement that would split East Jerusalem from the occupied West Bank, a move his office said would bury the idea of a Palestinian state. The construction on a tract of land east of Jerusalem named E1 has been under consideration for more than two decades, and is especially controversial because it is one of the last geographic links between the major West Bank cities of Ramallah and Bethlehem. "France strongly condemns the decision by the Israeli authorities to approve the E1 settlement project, which involves the construction of more than 3,000 housing units east of Jerusalem," said the statement. "Its implementation would cut the West Bank in two and seriously undermine the two-state solution, which is the only way to guarantee lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians. France reiterates its condemnation of settlement activity and all the tensions and violence it provokes," the statement added. The UN human rights office on Friday said Israel's decision to build the new settlement was illegal under international law and that it put nearby Palestinians at risk of forced eviction, which it described as a war crime. Development in E1 was long frozen, largely due to US pressure during previous administrations. On Thursday, Smotrich praised US President Donald Trump and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee as 'true friends of Israel as we have never had before'. The E1 plan is expected to receive final approval on August 20, capping off 20 years of bureaucratic wrangling. The planning committee on August 6 rejected all of the petitions to stop the construction filed by rights groups and activists, according to Peace Now, which tracks settlement expansion in the West Bank and filed opposition. 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, according to experts. Smotrich on Thursday boasted that the construction, which is expected to get final approval later this month, could thwart Palestinian statehood plans. His announcement came as many countries, including France, Australia, Britain and Canada say they will recognise a Palestinian state in September, at the UN General Assembly.
LeMonde
a day ago
- LeMonde
'The decision to 'take control' of the Gaza Strip sheds light on the ideological consistency of the Israeli prime minister'
On Friday, August 8, the Israeli security cabinet decided to evacuate the city of Gaza – meaning more than 1,000,000 people who had already been displaced – aiming to complete the operation by October 7. The same cabinet also approved "taking control" of the Gaza Strip. This term was chosen instead of "occupation" because it carries no legal implications; After all, an occupation regime grants rights to the occupied population and specifically protects them against forced displacement. The decision reveals the ideological consistency of the Israeli prime minister. Often depicted as motivated solely by the desire to stay in office and to avoid his court cases – essentially as a master opportunist – Benjamin Netanyahu has, in reality, consistently pursued a structured political project: the destruction of the Palestinian national project in favor of a "Greater Israel." Aligned with the views of Ze'ev Jabotinsky, Netanyahu has always rejected the idea of a Palestinian state. To oppose the Oslo Accords, he participated in vehement protests shortly before the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin and has always refused to meet with Mahmoud Abbas. In both his writings and speeches, he asserts that Palestinians do not exist − only "Arabs" − thus denying the historical existence of these people. Netanyahu's objective now appears clear: To make Gaza ungovernable and unlivable, to empty the territory of its population and to establish Jewish settlements there, reducing Palestinians to a minority living under Israeli domination. To those who still doubt, let us remember his advice in 2015 regarding the Iranian nuclear program: "If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, if it quacks like a duck, then what is it? (...) It's a duck." In this case, it is indeed a project of annexation and forced displacement of Palestinians, whether in Gaza or in the occupied territories. Internal consequences across Israel In Gaza, however, the occupation will be even harsher than in the West Bank. The scenario being considered is one of strict military control, with areas forbidden to Palestinians, the sorting of the population through checkpoints aided by artificial intelligence and an encouragement to leave. A report by the Boston Consulting Group even mentions the possibility of transferring 25% of Gazans to Ethiopia or Somalia. At the government level, mechanisms to implement this "departure" policy have already been created.
Local France
2 days ago
- Local France
French PM decries 'anti-Semitic hatred' after memorial tree cut down
On January 20, 2006, 23-year-old Ilan Halimi, was kidnapped by a gang of youths and tortured in a housing estate in the Paris suburb of Bagneux. Found three weeks later, he died on the way to hospital. An olive tree, planted in 2011 in Halimi's memory, was cut down, probably with a chainsaw, overnight Wednesday to Thursday in the northern Paris suburb of Epinay-sur-Seine, officials said. The move stoked fresh concerns about an increase in anti-Semitic acts and hate crime against Jewish people in France. "The tree for Ilan Halimi, a living bulwark against oblivion, has been cut down by anti-Semitic hatred," Bayrou said on X on Friday. "No crime can eradicate memory. The never-ending fight against the deadly poison of hatred is our primary duty," he added. Herve Chevreau, the mayor of Epinay-sur-Seine, said on Thursday he had filed a complaint. Paris police chief Laurent Nunez condemned what he called a "despicable act." "An investigation has been launched. Everything will be done to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice," Nunez said on X. Jewish groups in France have said that the number of anti-Semitic acts has surged following the attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023 which was followed by Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip and aid blockade. Advertisement Halimi was lured by a 17-year-old girl to a housing estate basement in the suburbs, where he was attacked and subdued with ether. Held prisoner for ransom, Halimi was tortured for 24 days before he was found naked and handcuffed to a tree near a railway track on February 13, 2006. Halimi's kidnap and murder stirred debate about anti-Semitism in France after police initially refused to consider it a hate crime, with tens of thousands taking to the street to demand justice. Youssouf Fofana, the head of the gang, was sentenced to life in prison.
