Latest news with #EastJerusalem
Asharq Al-Awsat
2 days ago
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
GCC Sec-Gen: Israeli Approval of Settlement Construction in West Bank Violates Palestinian Sovereignty
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi expressed his strong condemnation and denunciation of the Israeli occupation forces' approval to build 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, SPA reported. According to a press release issued by the GCC Secretariat General, Secretary-General Albudaiwi stressed that this approval is a blatant violation and a flagrant challenge to the principles of international law and international legitimacy. He added that these provocative practices represent a dangerous escalation that threatens security and stability in the region and undermines international efforts aimed at resuming the peace process. Albudaiwi affirmed the GCC's complete rejection of any attempts to impose a new reality on the sovereignty of the brotherly Palestinian people over all their occupied territories. He reiterated the commitment of the GCC countries to support the legitimate rights of the brotherly Palestinian people, foremost of which is the establishment of their independent state on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- General
- Al Arabiya
Saudi Arabia's Prince Faisal to travel to West Bank in historic visit
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, is expected to visit the West Bank this weekend, marking one of the most senior Saudi officials to do so since 1967. The top Saudi diplomat will lead an Arab delegation that will meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other officials from the Palestinian Authorities (PA) during their one-day visit, according to Palestinian Ambassador to Riyadh, Mazen Ghoneim. Ghoneim said the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan and 'other countries' would also be part of the visit. In comments to Saudi Arabia's Al-Ekhbariya, Ghoneim said the talks would focus on Arab efforts for a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital. Saudi Arabia and France are expected to co-host a conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York next month, where Paris is scheduled to recognize Palestinian statehood. Manal Radwan, a senior advisor to the Saudi foreign minister, said regional peace begins with recognizing the State of Palestine 'not as a symbolic gesture, but as a strategic necessity.' Speaking earlier this month at a preparatory UN session ahead of the June conference, Radwan said: 'Civilians continue to pay the price of a war that must end immediately. The escalation in the West Bank is equally alarming. Despair grows deeper by the day.' She added: 'This is precisely why we must speak not only of ending the war but of ending a conflict that has lasted nearly eight decades.'
The National
3 days ago
- General
- The National
Provocation in Jerusalem will not deter the dream of a Palestinian state
In diplomacy, as in life, actions have consequences. It should not be surprising, therefore, that this week's loutish display of impunity by juvenile delinquents on Jerusalem Day led to international rebuke for Israel, including the country's ambassador to the UAE being summoned over what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called "deplorable and offensive" attacks on Palestinians in the city. As ugly as those scenes were – throngs of young men chanting racist slogans as they were allowed to harass Palestinian residents by uncharacteristically passive Israeli police officers – they were arguably less provocative than the sight of Israeli ministers holding an extraordinary Cabinet meeting in Silwan, a Palestinian neighbourhood in occupied East Jerusalem. The fact that these developments were followed by official confirmation on Thursday that 22 new settlements had been approved in the West Bank suggests that Israel's current leadership feels it can weather any criticism. Such an assumption would be a mistake. While Gaza burns, the West Bank remains under a violent military occupation and the streets of historic Jerusalem are overrun by thuggish supremacists, many Israelis are taking to the streets to demand peace and a different course for their country. The Israeli government's relationships with allies and partners continue to fray. The EU – Israel's largest trading partner – is to review its association agreement. On Wednesday, the UK told a UN Security Council meeting that it strongly opposed Israel's 'wholly disproportionate' actions in Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire. On the same day, US President Donald Trump – usually a firm backer of Israel – said he had warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against carrying out a military strike on Iran that would set back Washington's efforts to broker a new nuclear deal. Scenes of starving Gazans corralled behind metal fences and children fleeing burning schools are spurring criticism of Israel far beyond the world of diplomacy and politics. Increasing numbers of high-profile artists, musicians, filmmakers and performers are calling for an immediate ceasefire, reflecting the reality that Israel's leadership is increasingly losing the battle for public opinion. The voices of Jews inside of Israel and in across the world calling for a ceasefire and for a path to peace must not be ignored. Scenes of starving Gazans corralled behind metal fences and children fleeing burning schools are spurring criticism of Israel far beyond the world of diplomacy and politics At the same time, the process of creating more so-called facts on the ground, such as the new settlements or the Silwan meeting – attempts to consolidate and normalise the illegal occupation of East Jerusalem and the West Bank – are running into the brick wall of political reality. Despite all attempts to deter it, the international community is not abandoning the idea of a Palestinian state. Last Sunday, Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela confirmed that his would be the latest EU member to recognise Palestine. Next month will see a major UN conference dedicated to the two-state solution. In the UAE too, the need for a political settlement was made clear by Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, who told the Arab Media Summit on Wednesday that the Emirates remained committed to the Palestinian cause as well as a two-state solution. If there is one message that can cut through the deluge of suffering this war has produced, it is the need for serious re-engagement with the idea of peace. A ceasefire and a return to political dialogue that can realise the legitimate aspirations of Palestinians and Israelis alike ought not to be considered a pipe dream. It is, in fact, what the vast majority of those affected by this conflict, and their honest brokers, want.
ABC News
4 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Israel announces major expansion of West Bank settlements despite sanctions threat
Israel's government has approved 22 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank despite some Western countries threatening targeted sanctions. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, an ultra-nationalist who advocates for Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank, said on Thursday the new settlements would be located in the northern area of the West Bank but did not specify where. Israel's Defense Ministry said that among the new Jewish settlements, existing "outposts" would be legalised and new settlements would also be built. "[It] strengthens our hold on Judea and Samaria [West Bank], anchors our historical right in the Land of Israel, and constitutes a crushing response to Palestinian terrorism," Defense Minister Israel Katz said. He added it was also 'a strategic move that prevents the establishment of a Palestinian state that would endanger Israel". Around 700,000 Israeli settlers live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 war. Israel later annexed East Jerusalem in a move not recognised by most of the international community. Palestinians see expansion of the settlements as a hindrance to their aspirations to establish an independent state, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Israel has already built over 100 settlements in the territory, which range from small hilltop "outposts" to fully developed communities with apartment blocks, shopping malls, and factories. Most of the international community considers these settlements illegal, including Australia. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in 2024 that Israel was in breach of international law, ordering it to end settlement activity and pay reparations to Palestinians. Israel's government dismissed that finding as "blatantly one-sided" and not legally binding. It deems most settlements legal under its own laws, while some of the illegal "outposts" are often tolerated and sometimes later legalised. There is a growing list of European countries demanding an end to the war in Gaza, while Britain, France and Canada warned Israel this month it could impose targeted sanctions if Israel continued to expand settlements in the West Bank. A joint statement by the three countries also said that they "strongly oppose the expansion of Israel's military operations in Gaza". Settlement activity in the West Bank has accelerated sharply since the war in Gaza, now in its 20th month. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, called Israel's decision a "dangerous escalation," accusing the government of continuing to drag the region into a "cycle of violence and instability". "This extremist Israeli government is trying by all means to prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state," he told Reuters, urging US President Donald Trump's administration to intervene. The Israeli anti-settlement watchdog Peace Now called it "the most extensive move of its kind" in more than 30 years and warned it would "dramatically reshape the West Bank and entrench the occupation even further". Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri condemned the announcement and called on the US and the European Union to take action. "The announcement of the building of 22 new settlements in the West Bank is part of the war led by Netanyahu against the Palestinian people," Abu Zuhri told Reuters. Following the ICJ ruling last year, Australia sanctioned seven Israeli settlers in the West Bank due to violent attacks on Palestinians, including sexual assault and torture. Reuters/AP
CNA
4 days ago
- Business
- CNA
Israel announces new West Bank settlements despite sanctions threat
Israel's government has approved 22 new Jewish settlements in the occupied-West Bank, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Thursday (May 29), a move that could deepen divisions with some allies, who have threatened sanctions over further expansion. Far-right Smotrich, an advocate for Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank, wrote on X that the new settlements would be located in the northern area of the West Bank, without specifying where. Israeli media cited the Defense Ministry as saying that among the new Jewish settlements, existing "outposts" would be legalised and new settlements would also be built. Around 700,000 Israeli settlers live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 war. Israel later annexed East Jerusalem, a move not recognised by most countries, but has not formally extended sovereignty over the West Bank. Palestinians see expansion of the settlements as a hindrance to their aspirations to establish an independent Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. There is a growing list of European countries demanding that Israel end the war in Gaza, while Britain, France and Canada this month warned Israel it could impose targeted sanctions if Israel continued to expand settlements in the West Bank. Most of the international community considers the Jewish settlements illegal. The Israeli government deems settlements legal under its own laws, while some so-called "outposts" are illegal but often tolerated and sometimes later legalised. Settlement activity in the West Bank has accelerated sharply since the war in Gaza, now in its 20th month, adding to escalating Israeli military operations against Palestinian militants and increasing numbers of settler attacks targeting Palestinian residents. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, called Israel's decision a "dangerous escalation", accusing the government of continuing to drag the region into a "cycle of violence and instability". "This extremist Israeli government is trying by all means to prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state," he told Reuters, urging US President Donald Trump's administration to intervene. Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri condemned the announcement and called on the United States and the European Union to take action.
