Latest news with #E1Scheme
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel approves long-blocked settlement to ‘bury the idea of a Palestinian state'
Israeli far-right 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. It was not immediately clear if Benjamin Netanyahu backed the plan to revive the long-frozen E1 scheme, which Palestinians and world powers have said would lop the West Bank in two and will likely draw international fury. In a statement headlined "Burying the idea of a Palestinian state," Smotrich's spokesperson said more details would be given later about the plan to build 3,401 houses for Israeli settlers between an existing settlement in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Israel had frozen construction plans there since 2012 because of objections from the United States, European allies and other world powers who considered the project a threat to any future peace deal with the Palestinians. It came as more than 100 agencies and charities warned that Israel's rules for aid groups working in Gaza and occupied West Bank will block much-needed relief, and replace independent organizations with those that serve Israel's political and military agenda. The mounting backlash over aid restrictions and the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza have been cited by several countries as a factor in their moves toward recognizing Palestinian statehood. the groups, including Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders and CARE, were responding to registration rules announced by Israel in March that require organizations to hand over full lists of their donors and Palestinian staff for vetting. They contend doing so could endanger their staff and give Israel broad grounds to block aid if groups are deemed to be "delegitimizing" the country or supporting boycotts or divestment. The groups stressed that most of them have not been able to deliver 'a single truck' of life-saving assistance since Israel implemented a blockade in March. Their letter called on other countries and donors to pressure Israel 'to end the weaponization of aid, including through bureaucratic obstruction.' COGAT, the Israeli military body in charge of humanitarian aid to Gaza, denied the claims in the letter; it said 380 trucks entered Gaza on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the UN agency helping Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said on Thursday that dehydration is increasing in Gaza amid limited water supplies and a heatwave that has pushed temperatures above 40 Celsius. Hospitals throughout Gaza reported casualties from Israeli strikes, including eight deaths in Gaza City. As European countries amplify their criticisms of Israel and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, some are expanding evacuations. Italy's foreign affairs ministry said it received 114 Palestinian evacuees from Gaza on Wednesday, including 31 children suffering from either severe injuries and amputations or serious diseases. Netanyahu wants to realise Donald Trump's vision of relocating much of Gaza's population of over two million people through what he refers to as "voluntary migration" — and what critics have warned could be ethnic cleansing. "Give them the opportunity to leave! First, from combat zones, and also from the strip if they want," Netanyahu said in an interview aired Tuesday with Israeli TV station i24 to discuss the planned offensive in areas that include Gaza City, where hundreds of thousands of displaced people shelter. Efforts to revive ceasefire talks have resumed after apparently breaking down last month. Hamas and Egyptian officials met Wednesday in Cairo, according to Hamas official Taher al-Nounou. Israel has no plans to send its negotiating team to talks in Cairo, Netanyahu's office said. Israel's plans to widen its military offensive against Hamas to parts of Gaza it does not yet control have sparked condemnation at home and abroad, and could be intended to raise pressure on Hamas to reach a ceasefire. The militants still hold 50 hostages taken in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack that sparked the war. Israel believes around 20 are still alive. Families fear a new offensive endangers them. Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report Solve the daily Crossword
The Independent
13 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Israel approves long-blocked settlement to ‘bury the idea of a Palestinian state'
Israeli far-right 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. It was not immediately clear if Benjamin Netanyahu backed the plan to revive the long-frozen E1 scheme, which Palestinians and world powers have said would lop the West Bank in two and will likely draw international fury. In a statement headlined "Burying the idea of a Palestinian state," Smotrich's spokesperson said more details would be given later about the plan to build 3,401 houses for Israeli settlers between an existing settlement in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Israel had frozen construction plans there since 2012 because of objections from the United States, European allies and other world powers who considered the project a threat to any future peace deal with the Palestinians. It came as more than 100 agencies and charities warned that Israel's rules for aid groups working in Gaza and occupied West Bank will block much-needed relief, and replace independent organizations with those that serve Israel's political and military agenda. The mounting backlash over aid restrictions and the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza have been cited by several countries as a factor in their moves toward recognizing Palestinian statehood. the groups, including Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders and CARE, were responding to registration rules announced by Israel in March that require organizations to hand over full lists of their donors and Palestinian staff for vetting. They contend doing so could endanger their staff and give Israel broad grounds to block aid if groups are deemed to be "delegitimizing" the country or supporting boycotts or divestment. The groups stressed that most of them have not been able to deliver 'a single truck' of life-saving assistance since Israel implemented a blockade in March. Their letter called on other countries and donors to pressure Israel 'to end the weaponization of aid, including through bureaucratic obstruction.' COGAT, the Israeli military body in charge of humanitarian aid to Gaza, denied the claims in the letter; it said 380 trucks entered Gaza on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the UN agency helping Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said on Thursday that dehydration is increasing in Gaza amid limited water supplies and a heatwave that has pushed temperatures above 40 Celsius. Hospitals throughout Gaza reported casualties from Israeli strikes, including eight deaths in Gaza City. As European countries amplify their criticisms of Israel and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, some are expanding evacuations. Italy's foreign affairs ministry said it received 114 Palestinian evacuees from Gaza on Wednesday, including 31 children suffering from either severe injuries and amputations or serious diseases. Netanyahu wants to realise Donald Trump 's vision of relocating much of Gaza's population of over two million people through what he refers to as "voluntary migration" — and what critics have warned could be ethnic cleansing. "Give them the opportunity to leave! First, from combat zones, and also from the strip if they want," Netanyahu said in an interview aired Tuesday with Israeli TV station i24 to discuss the planned offensive in areas that include Gaza City, where hundreds of thousands of displaced people shelter. Efforts to revive ceasefire talks have resumed after apparently breaking down last month. Hamas and Egyptian officials met Wednesday in Cairo, according to Hamas official Taher al-Nounou. Israel has no plans to send its negotiating team to talks in Cairo, Netanyahu's office said. Israel's plans to widen its military offensive against Hamas to parts of Gaza it does not yet control have sparked condemnation at home and abroad, and could be intended to raise pressure on Hamas to reach a ceasefire. The militants still hold 50 hostages taken in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack that sparked the war. Israel believes around 20 are still alive. Families fear a new offensive endangers them.
RNZ News
a day ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Israel's Bezalel Smotrich approves settlement splitting East Jerusalem from West Bank
Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Photo: AFP/MENAHEM KAHANA Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich approved plans overnight 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. It was not immediately clear if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backed the plan to revive the long-frozen E1 scheme, which Palestinians and world powers have said would lop the West Bank in two and will likely draw international ire. In a statement headlined "Burying the idea of a Palestinian state," Smotrich's spokesperson said the minister would give a press conference later on Thursday about the plan to build 3,401 houses for Israeli settlers between an existing settlement in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Israel had frozen construction plans there since 2012 because of objections from the United States, European allies and other world powers who considered the project a threat to any future peace deal with the Palestinians. - Reuters
Reuters
a day ago
- Business
- Reuters
Israel's Smotrich approves settlement splitting East Jerusalem from West Bank
Aug 14 (Reuters) - Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich approved plans overnight 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. It was not immediately clear if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backed the plan to revive the long-frozen E1 scheme, which Palestinians and world powers have said would lop the West Bank in two and will likely draw international ire. In a statement headlined "Burying the idea of a Palestinian state," Smotrich's spokesperson said the minister would give a press conference later on Thursday about the plan to build 3,401 houses for Israeli settlers between an existing settlement in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Israel had frozen construction plans there since 2012 because of objections from the United States, European allies and other world powers who considered the project a threat to any future peace deal with the Palestinians.
