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Leaders
6 days ago
- Politics
- Leaders
Knesset Passes ‘Symbolic' Motion to Annex West Bank
Over 70 Israeli lawmakers passed a motion in the Knesset on Wednesday, calling on the government to annex the West Bank amid mounting violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians, according to AFP. Symbolic Motion Members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition and some opposition lawmakers have supported this non-binding vote in the Knesset. However, this symbolic move has nothing to do with the Palestinian territory's legal status. Moreover, fifteen Israeli Cabinet Ministers from Netanyahu's Likud party have recently pushed him to immediately annex the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The lawmakers have signed a petition requesting the administration 'to apply sovereignty over Judea and Samaria (West Bank) before the end of the Knesset summer session,' which ends on July 27. They also implied that the current moment is appropriate for the annexation thanks to strong US-Israeli relations and the recent military gains. On Wednesday, lawmakers stressed that annexing the West Bank 'will strengthen the state of Israel, its security and prevent any questioning of the fundamental right of the Jewish people to peace and security in their homeland.' They justified this move by stating that the West Bank was an integral part of the realization of Zionism and the national vision of the Jewish people. Palestinian Rejection In a response to this move, Hussein Al-Sheikh, Deputy to Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas, described the motion as 'a direct assault on the rights of the Palestinian people.' Al-Sheikh also noted that it undermines the prospects for peace, stability and the two-state solution. 'These unilateral Israeli actions blatantly violate international law and the ongoing international consensus regarding the status of the Palestinian territories, including the West Bank,' he wrote on X. Mounting Settler Violence The UN Human Rights Office said that violence against Palestinians in the West Bank is growing with increasing number of killings and attacks by settlers and security forces, according to Reuters. Approximately 1 million Israeli settlers live in illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in violation of international law. OHCHR noted that settlers have launched 757 attacks on Palestinians or their properties since January 2025. Building Jewish State In May, Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel planned to build a 'Jewish Israeli state' in the occupied West Bank, according to Al-Arabiya. Katz's remarks followed Israel's announcement of the creation of 22 new settlements in the West Bank. He also noted that the new settlements would be a clear message to French President Emmanuel Macron and his associates: they will recognize a Palestinian state on paper – but Israel will build the Jewish Israeli state here on the ground. Related Topics: Time for Decisive Action: Over 100 Aid Agencies Warn of Mass Starvation in Gaza Palestinians Protest against Settler Outpost at West Bank Israel Kills American Citizens in West Bank, Anger Turns toward US Short link : Post Views: 33
Leaders
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Leaders
Palestinians Protest against Settler Outpost at West Bank
Clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli army broke out on Friday during a march against a newly established Israeli settlement outpost in a village in the northern occupied West Bank, according to AFP. All Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law. However, approximately 1 million Israeli settlers live in illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in violation of international law. Meanwhile, settler outposts are also prohibited under Israeli law. During the march, a group of Palestinians walked from Raba toward a nearby hill on top of which settlers had established the outpost. 'We came to this area to express our protest and say: 'this land is ours, not yours',' Ghassan Bazour, head of Raba's village council, told AFP. They performed Friday prayer at the base of the hill and continued toward the outpost. At that time, Israeli soldiers arrived on the scene and dispersed the crowd with tear gas, an AFP journalist reported. As a result, 13 people suffered from tear gas inhalation and received medical care from the Palestinian Red Crescent. Bazour stated that settlers had originally taken over the hill's high ground to establish an outpost and prevent Palestinians from accessing nearby agricultural lands. 'There is now a settler outpost here (which) will continue to devour the land and empty these areas,' Muayad Shaaban, head of the Palestinian Authority's Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, told AFP. Mounting Violence Violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has been growing since the Hamas attack of October 2023 with increasing number of killings and attacks by settlers and security forces. OHCHR noted that settlers have launched 757 attacks on Palestinians or their properties since January 2025. In May, Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel planned to build a 'Jewish Israeli state' in the occupied West Bank, according to Al-Arabiya. Katz's remarks followed Israel's announcement of the creation of 22 new settlements in the West Bank. Related Topics: UN Rights Office Reports Increasing Settler Attacks in Occupied West Bank Israel Kills American Citizens in West Bank, Anger Turns toward US Israel Detains Pro-Palestine Activists in West Bank amid Settler Violence Short link : Post Views: 20
Leaders
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Leaders
Slovenia Announces 2 Israeli Ministers Persona Non Grata
Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said that her country declared two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, persona non grata, according to Reuters. Slovenia becomes the first European Union country to take such a decisive step in response to Israeli military operations in Gaza since October 2023 and their mounting violence against Palestinians. The Slovenian government has accused both ministers of making 'genocidal statements' and inciting violence against Palestinians. 'Today, the government adopted one of the first national measures, which is to declare two Israeli ministers… unwanted in the Republic of Slovenia,' Fajon told a news conference. Meanwhile, the Israeli government which has repeatedly rejected accusations of genocide in Gaza, has not issued any response. Crucially, this significant step comes after EU Foreign Ministers' failure to agree on joint action against Israel over charges of human rights violations at a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday. 'This kind of measure is the first of its kind in the European Union. We are breaking new ground,' she said. Slovenia's government issued a statement saying both Ben-Gvir and Smotrich 'publicly advocate the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the forced evictions of Palestinians, and call for violence against the civilian Palestinian population'. Mounting Pressure in West Bank This decision comes at a crucial time as violence against Palestinians in the West Bank is growing with increasing number of killings and attacks by settlers and security forces. Israeli settlers' violence against Palestinians has sparked anger and frustration towards the US as Palestinians mourned the death of two men, one of them a Palestinian American, killed by settlers. Approximately 1 million Israeli settlers live in illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in violation of international law. OHCHR noted that settlers have launched 757 attacks on Palestinians or their properties since January 2025. In May, Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel planned to build a 'Jewish Israeli state' in the occupied West Bank, according to Al-Arabiya. Katz's remarks followed Israel's announcement of the creation of 22 new settlements in the West Bank. He also noted that the new settlements would be a clear message to French President Emmanuel Macron and his associates: they will recognize a Palestinian state on paper – but Israel will build the Jewish Israeli state here on the ground. Related Topics: UN Rights Office Reports Increasing Settler Attacks in Occupied West Bank Likud Ministers Urge Netanyahu to Annex West Bank Palestinian Bedouins Flee West Bank out of Settler Violence Short link : Post Views: 10
Leaders
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Leaders
UN Rights Office Reports Increasing Settler Attacks in Occupied West Bank
The UN Human Rights Office said that violence against Palestinians in the West Bank is growing with increasing number of killings and attacks by settlers and security forces, according to Reuters. Violent Incidents Israel Kills American Citizens in West Bank. 'Israeli settlers and security forces have intensified their killings, attacks and harassment of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in the past weeks,' Thameen Al-Kheetan, a spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OCHCR), told reporters in Geneva. Israeli settlers' violence against Palestinians has sparked anger and frustration towards the US as Palestinians mourned the death of two men, one of them a Palestinian American, killed by settlers. Approximately 1 million Israeli settlers live in illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in violation of international law. OHCHR noted that settlers have launched 757 attacks on Palestinians or their properties since January 2025. Forcible Displacement Palestinian Bedouins Flee West Bank out of Settler Violence Since the launch of the Israeli military operation 'Iron Wall', nearly 30,000 Palestinians have suffered forcible displacement in the north of the West Bank. Last week, thirty Palestinian families were forced to leave their homes in a remote area of the occupied West Bank due to the mounting violence of Israeli settlers. Members of the Bedouin Mleihat tribe started to dismantle homes built with iron sheets and wooden boards, after years of escalating harassment and attacks by settlers. 'The settlers are armed and attack us, and the (Israeli) military protects them. We can't do anything to stop them. We can't take it anymore, so we decided to leave,' said Mahmoud Mleihat, a 50-year-old father of seven from the community. Crucially, Israeli human rights group B'Tselem has documented persistent acts of violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in Mu'arrajat, near Jericho. Building Jewish State Palestinian Bedouins Flee West Bank out of Settler Violence In May, Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel planned to build a 'Jewish Israeli state' in the occupied West Bank, according to Al-Arabiya. Katz's remarks followed Israel's announcement of the creation of 22 new settlements in the West Bank. He also noted that the new settlements would be a clear message to French President Emmanuel Macron and his associates: they will recognize a Palestinian state on paper – but Israel will build the Jewish Israeli state here on the ground. Annexing West Bank In this context, fifteen Israeli Cabinet Ministers from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party have recently pushed him to immediately annex the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The lawmakers have signed a petition requesting the administration 'to apply sovereignty over Judea and Samaria (West Bank) before the end of the Knesset summer session,' which ends on July 27. They also implied that the current moment is appropriate for the annexation thanks to strong US-Israeli relations and the recent military gains. Related Topics: Israel Kills American Citizens in West Bank, Anger Turns toward US Likud Ministers Urge Netanyahu to Annex West Bank Arab Ministers Condemn Israel's Ban on West Bank Visit Short link : Post Views: 2
Leaders
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Leaders
US Aware of American Citizen Beaten to Death by Israeli Settlers
The US State Department unveiled that it was aware of the US citizen who was killed in the Israeli-occupied West Bank after being beaten by Israeli settlers, according to Al Arabiya. 'We are aware of reports of the death of a US citizen in the West Bank,' a State Department spokesperson said. The Palestinian Health Ministry, noted that Saif al-Din Kamel Abdul Karim Musallat, aged in his 20s, died after he was beaten by Israeli settlers on Friday evening. The ministry also said that other people were injured during an attack in a town north of Ramallah. Musallat's relatives mentioned that Israeli settlers had beaten Saif al-Din to death, according to The Washington Post. Meanwhile, the Israeli military said Israel was investigating the incident in the town of Sinjil. It also said that rocks were hurled at Israelis near Sinjil and that 'a violent confrontation developed in the area.' Escalating Violence in West Bank Approximately 1 million Israeli settlers live in illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in violation of international law. Israel has recently detained numerous pro-Palestine activists with foreign nationalities north of Jericho in the occupied West Bank amid settlers' attacks, according to Arab News. In May, Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel planned to build a 'Jewish Israeli state' in the occupied West Bank, according to Al-Arabiya. Katz's remarks followed Israel's announcement of the creation of 22 new settlements in the West Bank. In this context, fifteen Israeli Cabinet Ministers from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party have recently pushed him to immediately annex the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The lawmakers have signed a petition requesting the administration 'to apply sovereignty over Judea and Samaria (West Bank) before the end of the Knesset summer session,' which ends on July 27. They also implied that the current moment is appropriate for the annexation thanks to strong US-Israeli relations and the recent military gains. Related Topics: Saudi Arabia Condemns Israeli Settlers' Violence against Palestinians Dozens of Israeli settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque for the second day US Sanctions UN Expert for Criticizing Israel's War in Gaza Short link : Post Views: 65
