Israeli minister announces plans 'to prevent Palestinian state'
The plan would effectively cut off the West Bank from occupied East Jerusalem.
"The plan will bury the idea of a Palestinian state," Smotrich said.
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"After decades of international pressure and freezes, we are breaking conventions and connecting Maale Adumim to Jerusalem. This is Zionism at its best – building, settling and strengthening our sovereignty in the Land of Israel."
Settlements are considered illegal under international law.
Aviv Tatarsky, a researcher at Israeli NGO Ir Amim who has submitted formal objections to the plan, said the Israeli government is 'openly announcing apartheid'.
'It explicitly states that the E1 plans were approved to 'bury' the two-state solution and to entrench de facto sovereignty,' he said.
'An immediate consequence could be the uprooting of more than a dozen Palestinian communities living in the E1 area. Indeed, over the last 10 days, Israeli authorities have issued dozens of demolition orders there.
'States now working to recognise a Palestinian state should understand that Israel is undeterred by diplomatic gestures or condemnations. If they are serious about the prospect of peace, they must take concrete action.'
The E1 plan has not yet received final approval, which is expected next week.
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Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Israeli minister announces plans for new West Bank settlement to 'bury' idea of Palestinian state
Israel's far-right finance minister has announced plans to build a new settlement in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which he said would "bury" the idea of a Palestinian state. Palestinians and rights groups said the settlement would effectively cut the West Bank into two separate parts and rob them of any chance to build a Palestinian state. This comes as several countries, including the UK, said they would recognise a Palestinian state in September, unless Israel meets several conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza. "This reality finally buries the idea of a Palestinian state, because there is nothing to recognise and no one to recognise," finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said as he announced the construction plans. "Anyone in the world who tries today to recognise a Palestinian state will receive an answer from us on the ground." The settlement is planned to be built in E1, an open tract of land east of Jerusalem, and includes around 3,500 apartments to expand the existing settlement of Maale Adumim, Mr Smotrich said. E1 has been eyed for Israeli development for more than two decades, but plans were halted due to pressure from the US during previous administrations. Now-US President Donald Trump and the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, were praised on Thursday by Mr Smotrich as "true friends of Israel as we have never had before". Mr Smotrich, himself a Jewish settler, told Sky News' international correspondent Diana Magnay that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr Trump had agreed to the revival of the E1 scheme. There was no confirmation of this claim from either leader. The E1 plan has not yet received its final approval, which is expected next week. 0:56 Construction of homes 'within a year' Peace Now, which tracks settlement activity in the West Bank, said some bureaucratic steps remain before construction could begin, including the approval of Israel's high planning council. But if the process moves quickly, infrastructure work could start in the next few months, with the construction of homes to follow in about a year. "The E1 plan is deadly for the future of Israel and for any chance of achieving a peaceful two-state solution. We are standing at the edge of an abyss, and the government is driving us forward at full speed," Peace Now said in a statement. It added that the plan was "guaranteeing many more years of bloodshed". Mr Smotrich was also criticised by an Israeli rights group established by former Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldiers, who accused the far-right politician of encouraging West Bank settlement activity while the world's attention was on the Gaza war. As well as official, government-approved settlements, there are also Israeli outposts, which are established without government approval and are considered illegal by Israeli authorities. But reports suggest the government often turns a blind eye to their creation. In May, Mr Netanyahu's government approved 22 new settlements, including the legalisation of outposts that had previously been built without authorisation. Since the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023 and Israel's subsequent military bombardment of Gaza, more than 100 Israeli outposts have been established, according to Peace Now. Settler violence against Palestinians has also increased, according to the UN, with an average of 118 incidents each month - up from 108 in 2023, which was already a record year. Trump's ambassador denying existence of the West Bank 'all the encouragement' Smotrich needs Bezalel Smotrich is pumped. His dreams of resettlement and annexation of the West Bank have never been closer to fruition. The E1 settlement plan, which would cut the West Bank from East Jerusalem, was first conceived back in 1995 by then prime minister Yitzhak Rabin. Thirty years later, the extremist settler contingent within the government seems to be on the verge of making it a reality. The prime minister's office has yet to confirm Benjamin Netanyahu's backing, but according to Smotrich, both he and President Trump are on board. E1 (or T1 as they say they will call it, in honour of Donald Trump) would be another symbolic blow to the very notion of Palestinian statehood, as is every settlement and piece of related infrastructure which Israel builds in the occupied West Bank. At a time when the UK, France and others all say they will recognise a Palestinian state unless Israel pushes for a ceasefire in Gaza, Netanyahu's government is doubling down. Per Smotrich, their response will come through roads, buildings, neighbourhoods, the spread of Jewish life across Palestinian lands in the West Bank - the creation of facts on the ground. The UK, France and many others in the international community may not like it, but the real power-broker here, certainly as far as Netanyahu is concerned, is Donald Trump. He is the president who moved the US embassy to Jerusalem; his ambassador has said there is no such thing as the West Bank. For the likes of Smotrich, that is all the encouragement they need. Plans criticised as 'extension of genocide' The Palestinian foreign ministry called the settlement plan an extension of the crimes of genocide, displacement and annexation. Israel has long disputed accusations of genocide and rights abuses, saying it is acting in self-defence. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the Palestinian president's spokesperson, called on the US to pressure Israel to stop the building of settlements. Hamas said the plan was part of Israel's "colonial, extremist" policies and called on Palestinians to confront it. Qatar, which has been acting as a mediator between Hamas and Israel in a bid to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, said the move was a flagrant violation of international law. "The EU rejects any territorial change that is not part of a political agreement between involved parties. So annexation of territory is illegal under international law," European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper said. Today, an estimated 700,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. There is also a growing movement of Israelis wanting to build settlements in Gaza. Settlers make up around 5% of Israel's population and 15% of the West Bank's population, according to data from Peace Now. Settlements are illegal under international law and have been condemned by the UN. They are, however, authorised by the Israeli government. According to the Israel Policy Forum, the settlement programme is intended to protect Israel's security, with settlers acting as the first line of defence "against an invasion". Mr Smotrich's settlement announcement comes after the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand on Mr Smotrich and his fellow far-right cabinet member, Itamar Ben-Gvir, for "repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian civilians" in the West Bank. 4:33 Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in June that the ministers had been "encouraging egregious abuses of human rights" for "months". Last year, Mr Smotrich, whose National Religious Party largely draws its support from settlers, ordered preparations for the annexation of the West Bank. His popularity has fallen in recent months, with polls showing that his party would not win a single seat in parliament in elections were held today.
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Israel announces plans for new West Bank settlement to 'bury' idea of Palestinian state
Israel's far-right finance minister has announced plans to build a new settlement in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which he said would "bury" the idea of a Palestinian state. Palestinians and rights groups said the settlement would effectively cut the West Bank into two separate parts and rob them of any chance to build a Palestinian state. This comes as several countries, including the UK, said they would recognise a Palestinian state in September, unless Israel meets several conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza. "This reality finally buries the idea of a Palestinian state, because there is nothing to recognise and no one to recognise," finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said as he announced the construction plans. "Anyone in the world who tries today to recognise a Palestinian state will receive an answer from us on the ground." The settlement is planned to be built in E1, an open tract of land east of Jerusalem, and includes around 3,500 apartments to expand the existing settlement of Maale Adumim, Mr Smotrich said. E1 has been eyed for Israeli development for more than two decades, but plans were halted due to pressure from the US during previous administrations. Now-US President Donald Trump and the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, were praised on Thursday by Mr Smotrich as "true friends of Israel as we have never had before". Mr Smotrich, himself a Jewish settler, told Sky News' international correspondent Diana Magnay that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr Trump had agreed to the revival of the E1 scheme. There was no confirmation of this claim from either leader. The E1 plan has not yet received its final approval, which is expected next week. 0:56 Construction of homes 'within a year' Peace Now, which tracks settlement activity in the West Bank, said some bureaucratic steps remain before construction could begin, including the approval of Israel's high planning council. But if the process moves quickly, infrastructure work could start in the next few months, with the construction of homes to follow in about a year. "The E1 plan is deadly for the future of Israel and for any chance of achieving a peaceful two-state solution. We are standing at the edge of an abyss, and the government is driving us forward at full speed," Peace Now said in a statement. It added that the plan was "guaranteeing many more years of bloodshed". Mr Smotrich was also criticised by an Israeli rights group established by former Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldiers, who accused the far-right politician of encouraging West Bank settlement activity while the world's attention was on the Gaza war. As well as official, government-approved settlements, there are also Israeli outposts, which are established without government approval and are considered illegal by Israeli authorities. But reports suggest the government often turns a blind eye to their creation. In May, Mr Netanyahu's government approved 22 new settlements, including the legalisation of outposts that had previously been built without authorisation. Since the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023 and Israel's subsequent military bombardment of Gaza, more than 100 Israeli outposts have been established, according to Peace Now. Settler violence against Palestinians has also increased, according to the UN, with an average of 118 incidents each month - up from 108 in 2023, which was already a record year. Trump's ambassador denying existence of the West Bank 'all the encouragement' Smotrich needs Bezalel Smotrich is pumped. His dreams of resettlement and annexation of the West Bank have never been closer to fruition. The E1 settlement plan, which would cut the West Bank from East Jerusalem, was first conceived back in 1995 by then prime minister Yitzhak Rabin. Thirty years later, the extremist settler contingent within the government seems to be on the verge of making it a reality. The prime minister's office has yet to confirm Benjamin Netanyahu's backing, but according to Smotrich, both he and President Trump are on board. E1 (or T1 as they say they will call it, in honour of Donald Trump) would be another symbolic blow to the very notion of Palestinian statehood, as is every settlement and piece of related infrastructure which Israel builds in the occupied West Bank. At a time when the UK, France and others all say they will recognise a Palestinian state unless Israel pushes for a ceasefire in Gaza, Netanyahu's government is doubling down. Per Smotrich, their response will come through roads, buildings, neighbourhoods, the spread of Jewish life across Palestinian lands in the West Bank - the creation of facts on the ground. The UK, France and many others in the international community may not like it, but the real power-broker here, certainly as far as Netanyahu is concerned, is Donald Trump. He is the president who moved the US embassy to Jerusalem; his ambassador has said there is no such thing as the West Bank. For the likes of Smotrich, that is all the encouragement they need. Plans criticised as 'extension of genocide' The Palestinian foreign ministry called the settlement plan an extension of the crimes of genocide, displacement and annexation. Israel has long disputed accusations of genocide and rights abuses, saying it is acting in self-defence. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the Palestinian president's spokesperson, called on the US to pressure Israel to stop the building of settlements. Hamas said the plan was part of Israel's "colonial, extremist" policies and called on Palestinians to confront it. Qatar, which has been acting as a mediator between Hamas and Israel in a bid to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, said the move was a flagrant violation of international law. "The EU rejects any territorial change that is not part of a political agreement between involved parties. So annexation of territory is illegal under international law," European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper said. Today, an estimated 700,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. There is also a growing movement of Israelis wanting to build settlements in Gaza. Settlers make up around 5% of Israel's population and 15% of the West Bank's population, according to data from Peace Now. Settlements are illegal under international law and have been condemned by the UN. They are, however, authorised by the Israeli government. According to the Israel Policy Forum, the settlement programme is intended to protect Israel's security, with settlers acting as the first line of defence "against an invasion". Mr Smotrich's settlement announcement comes after the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand on Mr Smotrich and his fellow far-right cabinet member, Itamar Ben-Gvir, for "repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian civilians" in the West Bank. 4:33 Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in June that the ministers had been "encouraging egregious abuses of human rights" for "months". Last year, Mr Smotrich, whose National Religious Party largely draws its support from settlers, ordered preparations for the annexation of the West Bank. His popularity has fallen in recent months, with polls showing that his party would not win a single seat in parliament in elections were held today.
Spectator
an hour ago
- Spectator
Uefa's ‘Stop killing children' banner isn't fooling anyone
Who does Uefa think it's kidding? It says the huge banner saying 'Stop killing children' unfurled at a Super Cup match last night was 'not political'. It was 'about humanity', insists an insider. 'In fact, you could just say it is common sense', they said. They must think we were born yesterday. Everyone whose moral faculties have not been entirely fried by the Gaza war knows this banner was likely a political dig at that state it is fashionable to hate – Israel. To display such a banner ahead of a Spurs match – a team with deep links to Britain's Jewish community – is especially egregious The banner said 'Stop Killing Children – Stop Killing Civilians'. It was displayed on the pitch in Udine, Italy ahead of the clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain. Children from conflict zones around the world stood by the banner, including two Palestinian kids. Uefa's rules forbid the display of political messages before, during or after matches. But this wasn't political, it says – it was a cry of concern for littl'uns everywhere. I call BS. I suppose it is wholly coincidental that such a banner has been displayed at a time when Europe's chattering classes feverishly accuse the Jewish State of being a child-killing entity. Spend more than 60 seconds on social media and you'll encounter this calumny. Browse the 'respectable' press and there it is. Venture into your city centre when there's a 'pro-Palestine' march and you'll hear the mob holler it: 'Israel spills the blood of children!' This view of Israel as a uniquely murderous state, as a nation that takes pleasure in the butchery of children, is all the rage right now. 'Israel is annihilating Palestinian children', op-ed writers cry. It is 'targeting childhood' itself, we're told. A Unicef official described Israel's war in Gaza as a 'war on children'. It is no such thing, of course; it is a war on the neo-fascists of Hamas who invaded Israel on 7 October 2023 to rape and massacre Jews. On those weekly street rages against Israel you'll see placard after placard calling on it to 'Stop Killing Children'. Israel is seen as an infanticidal regime, as uniquely wicked among the nations of the earth in that children do not merely perish in its wars, as they tragically do in all wars – no, they are targeted for execution by this sick state that gets a twisted thrill from letting the blood of innocents. You don't have to be an expert in Medieval History to hear the echo of the blood libel in these chants. Where once Jews were seen as the dastardly spillers of the blood of Christian children, now the Jewish state is seen as the murderous spiller of the blood of Palestinian children. Some people might believe the left's anti-Israel hotheads when they say it is entirely coincidental that they now accuse the Jewish nation of the same ritualistic crimes of child slaughter that the Jewish people were once accused of – I am not one of those people. For me, it was made most clear on an anti-Israel demonstration in Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex back in April. Protesters carried dolls in shrouds stained with fake blood while screaming 'Stop killing babies!' as Jewish families walked home from synagogue after Sabbath prayers. How profoundly shaming that 900 years after the blood libel was born in the City of Norwich, England's Jews once more found themselves surrounded by a frothing mob howling about child slaughter. And now into this mix comes Uefa's apparently innocent banner. Look, who knows what the thinking was of the individuals who thought it would be a good idea to mention the death of children in war before a game of footie. But the impact of the banner is undeniable: it will have made hundreds of thousands of people think about that 'evil' state that the cultural elite insists is murdering children for sport. 'For centuries, Europe has traded in the blood libel that Jews kill children, and clearly the trope remains as popular as ever', said the Campaign Against Antisemitism in response to the Uefa furore. Quite right. To display such a banner ahead of a Spurs match – a team with deep links to Britain's Jewish community – is especially egregious. Why not a banner saying 'Stop Kidnapping Jews', in reference to Hamas's brutal, 15-month abduction of the British-Israeli Spurs fan, Emily Damari? Children die in all wars. It's the worst thing about war. But the Israel-Hamas war is the first of my lifetime where there has been such a grim, frenzied obsession with these tragic deaths, and such a certain conviction that they are not accidental tragedies at all but the intentional handiwork of that monstrous Jewish army. I'm tired of tiptoeing around this: the reason they accuse this nation alone of ritualistic child murder is because it is the Jewish nation.
