Latest news with #Likud
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Golan surges in polls, Bennett leads opposition; Likud weakens
Yair Golan's Democrats are gaining momentum as Naftali Bennett tops the latest poll. Likud loses ground, and Netanyahu's bloc remains far from a majority. A new survey published Friday by Maariv shows that Likud's support declines in scenarios where Bennett runs, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc continues to fall short of a parliamentary majority. Yair Golan's Democrats are gaining momentum in the polls, regardless of whether former prime minister Naftali Bennett enters the political race. The poll, conducted by the Lazar Research Institute, indicates that Golan's party is recovering from a dip the previous week. The Democrats are projected to win nine seats if Bennett forms a new party, or 13 seats if he does not—up from 12 in the previous poll. In a scenario in which Bennett leads a new political list, he would receive 28 seats, maintaining his previous standing. In that case, Likud would drop to 19 seats, while Yesh Atid and Yisrael Beytenu would each fall to 10. Otzma Yehudit and United Torah Judaism would remain unchanged at eight seats each. Under this configuration, the Netanyahu-led coalition would hold 44 seats, and the opposition—Bennett included—would command 66. The Arab parties, Ra'am and Hadash-Ta'al, would receive a combined 10 seats. If Bennett does not run, Likud would rise to 23 seats, National Unity would receive 16, and Yesh Atid would fall to 14. The Democrats would increase to 13, while Shas and Otzma Yehudit would remain at nine. United Torah Judaism would gain one seat, reaching eight. In this scenario, the coalition would hold 49 seats, while the opposition—excluding Arab parties—would rise to 61. The poll also asked respondents about the appointment of Maj.-Gen. David Zini as head of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency). The question centers on a legal dispute: Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara has argued that Netanyahu is barred from making senior law enforcement appointments due to a conflict of interest. According to the poll, 42% of Israelis support the attorney-general's position, while 40% side with Netanyahu. Another 18% said they did not know. 86% of coalition supporters back Netanyahu 72% of opposition supporters back the attorney-general Among Arab party voters: 66% support the attorney-general, 8% support Netanyahu, and 26% are undecided The poll was conducted May 28–29, 2025, based on a representative sample of 500 Israeli adults. The margin of error is ±4.4%.
Roya News
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Roya News
UK slams new 'Israeli' settlements as 'deliberate obstacle' to Palestinian state
'Israel's' approval of 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank is a "deliberate obstacle to Palestinian statehood", Britain's Middle East minister Hamish Falconer said Thursday. "The UK condemns these actions," he wrote on X. "Settlements are illegal under international law, further imperil the two state solution, and do not protect Israel." 'Israel' announced on Thursday the creation of 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, putting further strain on relations with the international community already taxed by the war on Gaza. 'Israeli' settlements in the West Bank are regularly condemned by the United Nations as illegal under international law, and are seen as one of the main obstacles to a lasting peace. The decision to establish more, taken by the country's security cabinet, was announced by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, himself a settler, and Defence Minister 'Israel' Katz, who is in charge of managing the communities. "We have made a historic decision for the development of settlements: 22 new communities in Judea and Samaria, renewing settlement in the north of Samaria, and reinforcing the eastern axis of the State of Israel," Smotrich said on X, using the 'Israeli' terms for the southern and northern West Bank, which it has occupied since 1967. "Next step: sovereignty!" he added. Katz said the initiative "changes the face of the region and shapes the future of settlement for years to come". Not all the 22 settlements are new, however. Some are existing outposts, while others are neighbourhoods of settlements that will become independent communities, according to the left-wing 'Israeli' NGO Peace Now. On Telegram, the right-wing Likud party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the move a "once-in-a-generation decision", and said it "includes the establishment of four communities along the eastern border with Jordan, as part of strengthening Israel's eastern backbone".
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Dozens of MKs across the aisle sign letter of support for Jewish diaspora communities
The letter, signed by 67 Members of Knesset from both sides of the aisle, expressed "unshakable solidarity" with the diaspora community. Some 67 Members of Knesset from the coalition and opposition signed a letter initiated by Likud MK Dan Illouz on Thursday expressing solidarity with the Jewish diaspora, in the wake of the 'deeply troubling' peak of antisemitic incidents worldwide. The letter, which was made out to 'our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora— With love, with pain, and with unshakable solidarity,' included signatories from all of the Knesset's Jewish parties, including the ultra-Orthodox (haredi) parties in the coalition and four opposition parties. 'On the 23rd of Iyar, 5785 (May 21, 2025), two people—Sarah Milgram and Yaron Lishinsky—were murdered in a shooting outside the Jewish Museum in Washington, simply because the killer wanted to murder Jews,' the letter began. 'This was not an attack on soldiers. It wasn't a protest against policy. It was a vile act of antisemitism—pure and simple. And tragically, this wasn't an isolated incident. It's part of a deeply troubling global trend: Since October 7, antisemitism has been spreading at an alarming pace—on campuses, in the streets, across social media, and throughout the public sphere,' the MKs continued. 'Yet in the darkness, your light has shone brightly. You stood with us during our hardest moments. You marched, you gave, you fought for the truth. You reminded us that Am Yisrael is one people—united. For that—we thank you. Thank you for your courage. Thank you for your determination. Thank you for your love. Because of you, we were not alone. And now—you won't be alone either,' the MKs continued. They continued, 'We, Ministers and Members of Knesset from across the political spectrum, speak to you with one clear voice: We are with you. We see you. We hear you. We feel your pain. And we will not be silent. The bond between the Jewish Diaspora and the State of Israel does not depend on circumstance. It is eternal. We are one family—bound by destiny, rooted in history, and entrusted with the mission of building a future of strength and dignity—together. From Jerusalem to Washington, from Tel Aviv to Toronto—we stand as one. And we say, with pride and with love: Am Yisrael Chai,' the MKs concluded. Illouz, who is originally from Montreal, said to the Post, 'When Jews are targeted simply for being Jewish, our response must be united and unequivocal. This was not just a crime—it was part of a global wave of hate that demands moral clarity. We want every Jewish community to know: you are not alone. Israel sees you, stands with you, and will always fight antisemitism wherever it appears. Am Yisrael is one family—and we stand together.' According to a report by the World Zionist Organization and the Jewish Agency for Israel that was published in January, in 2024 antisemitic incidents in the US rose by 288% compared to 2022, and in Canada by 562%
News24
a day ago
- General
- News24
Israel announces ‘historic decision' of 22 new settlements in the West Bank
Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the creation of 22 new settlements in the West Bank. Israeli settlements in the West Bank are condemned by the United Nations. The move was approved by the security cabinet. Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced Thursday the creation in the occupied West Bank of 22 new settlements, which are considered illegal under international law. 'We have made a historic decision for the development of settlements: 22 new communities in Judea and Samaria, renewing settlement in the north of Samaria, and reinforcing the eastern axis of the State of Israel,' the minister said on X, using the Israeli term for the West Bank, which it has occupied since 1967. 'Next step: sovereignty!' he added. In a statement on Telegram, the Likud party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the move a 'once-in-a-generation decision', saying the initiative had been led by Smotrich and Defence Minister Israel Katz and approved by the security cabinet. 'The decision also includes the establishment of four communities along the eastern border with Jordan, as part of strengthening Israel's eastern backbone, national security and strategic grip on the area,' it said. The party published a map showing the 22 sites spread across the territory. Israeli settlements in the West Bank are condemned by the United Nations as one of the main obstacles to a lasting peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. Mohammad Mansour/AFP The announcement comes ahead of an international conference to be led by France and Saudi Arabia at UN headquarters in New York next month, which is meant to resurrect the idea of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It also comes after US envoy Steve Witkoff said on Wednesday he had 'very good feelings' about the prospects for a Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, adding that he expected to send out a new proposal imminently. Reuters reported that Israeli settlers torched Palestinian vehicles and houses in the occupied West Bank, Israel's army and villagers said, the latest in a series of attacks on the village of Bruqin, close to the location where a pregnant settler was killed this month. Palestinian residents in Bruqin, who say they have faced constant attacks and abuse from Israeli settlers nearby, said a large group had shown up during the night, throwing Molotov cocktails and beating anyone in their way. Zain Jaafar/AFP Akram Sabra, a resident of the village, said he had left his home to watch as dozens, possibly a hundred, people burned cars belonging to him and his family and threw a Molotov cocktail incendiary at his son's house. 'I saw my vehicles were burned and then they beat me on the head and I am still dizzy,' he said. The Israeli military said it had received a report that Israeli civilians had vandalised property in the area of the village, in the northern part of the West Bank. 'Upon receiving the report, IDF (Israel Defence Force) soldiers were dispatched to the scene. The suspects fled prior to the arrival of IDF soldiers,' it said, adding that no injuries were reported and the incident was under review. Israeli forces have imposed a strict lockdown in and around Bruqin following the killing of Tzeela Gez, a heavily pregnant resident of the nearby settlement of Bruchin.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Israel announces major expansion of illegal West Bank settlements
The Israeli government says it will establish 22 illegal settlements on Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank, including the legalisation of some so-called 'outposts' already built without government authorisation, in a move decried by Palestinian officials and rights groups. Defence Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the decision on Thursday, with Katz saying that it 'strengthens our hold on Judea and Samaria,' using an Israeli term for the occupied West Bank. He added it was also 'a strategic move that prevents the establishment of a Palestinian state that would endanger Israel'. Smotrich, himself a settler on illegally occupied Palestinian-owned land and an advocate for Israeli annexation of the West Bank, hailed the 'historic decision'. In a statement, the Likud party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the move as a 'once-in-a-generation decision', emphasising its strategic value in fortifying Israel's hold along the eastern border with Jordan. Israel has already built more than 100 illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank that are home to some 500,000 settlers. The settlements range from small outposts to larger communities with modern infrastructure. The West Bank is home to more than three million Palestinians, who live under Israeli military rule, with the Palestinian Authority governing in limited areas. The Palestinians see the territory as an integral part of a future state, along with occupied East Jerusalem and Gaza. Palestinian officials and rights groups slammed the Israeli government's decision, warning that the expansion of illegal settlements would further harm the prospects for a future Palestinian state. Palestinian presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh condemned the decision, calling it a 'dangerous escalation' and a 'challenge to international legitimacy'. He accused Israel of fuelling instability in the region and warned the move breaches international law. 'This decision violates all international resolutions, especially UN Security Council Resolution 2334,' he said, adding that all settlement activity remains illegal and illegitimate. Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri condemned called on the United States 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 the news agency Reuters. The Israeli NGO Peace Now said the move 'will dramatically reshape the West Bank and further entrench the occupation'. 'The Israeli government no longer pretends otherwise: the annexation of the occupied territories and expansion of settlements is its central goal,' it said in a statement.'This is the largest batch of illegal Israeli settlements to be approved in one decision,' reported Al Jazeera's Nida Ibrahim from the occupied West Bank. 'Israeli settlements are strangling Palestinian communities inside the West Bank,' said Ibrahim. 'These new settlements fill the gaps, making a future Palestinian state almost impossible on the ground. Israel is using this moment – while global attention is fixed on Gaza – to cement its occupation.' The settlement announcement comes just weeks ahead of a high-level international conference, jointly led by France and Saudi Arabia at the United Nations, aiming to revive the long-dormant process to agree a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
