Latest news with #PLO
Egypt Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
Israel approves biggest expansion of West Bank settlements in decades
Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, as well as in East Jerusalem and the occupied Golan Heights, are considered illegal under international law. For months, Israel's military has carried out a massive operation in the West Bank, deploying tanks to the territory for the first time in decades and displacing tens of thousands of Palestinians. In February, Katz ordered the military 'to prepare for a prolonged presence' as the military evacuated Palestinian refugee camps. Within the last several weeks, Israeli forces have carried out multiple waves of raids and arrests across the West Bank. He added the new settlements are 'illegal under international law, further imperil the two-state solution, and do not protect Israel.' The decision this week to expand settlements sparked international criticism. The United Kingdom's minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Hamish Falconer, called the move a 'deliberate obstacle to Palestinian statehood.' Jordan's foreign ministry also lambasted the move, saying in a statement that it 'represents a deliberate disregard for ongoing international calls to halt settlement activity and violations in the occupied Palestinian territories.' 'All Israeli actions and decisions in the West Bank are illegal and illegitimate,' the statement added. Earlier this month, France joined the UK and Canada to threaten 'concrete actions,' including targeted sanctions against Israel, if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government did not allow far more aid into Gaza and cease settlement expansion in the West Bank. Peace Now blasted the government for making such a decision in the midst of a war. 'The government is making clear – again and without restraint – that it prefers deepening the occupation and advancing de facto annexation over pursuing peace,' the organization said. 'The Israeli government no longer pretends otherwise: the annexation of the Occupied Territories and expansion of settlements is its central goal.' The Oslo Accords, signed in 1993 between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), were designed to pave the way for the establishment of a Palestinian state and the realization of a two-state solution.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Israel approves biggest expansion of West Bank settlements in decades
Israel approved a massive expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank this week in a move described as a continuation of de facto annexation of the territory. Peace Now, an Israeli non-governmental organization that tracks settlements, said it was the largest expansion of settlements since the signing of the Oslo Accords more than 30 years ago. Israel will establish 22 new settlements, including deep within the West Bank and in area from which the country had previously withdrawn, as part of the new security cabinet decision, according to a joint statement from Defense Minister Israel Katz and far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. 'All the new communities are being established with a long-term strategic vision, aimed at reinforcing Israeli control of the territory, preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state, and securing development reserves for settlement in the coming decades,' the statement said. Peace Now blasted the government for making such a decision in the midst of a war. 'The government is making clear - again and without restraint - that it prefers deepening the occupation and advancing de facto annexation over pursuing peace,' the organization said. 'The Israeli government no longer pretends otherwise: the annexation of the Occupied Territories and expansion of settlements is its central goal.' Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, as well as in East Jerusalem and the occupied Golan Heights, are considered illegal under international law. The Oslo Accords, signed in 1993 between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), were designed to pave the way to the establishment of a Palestinian state and the realization of a two-state solution. For months, Israel's military has carried out a massive operation in the West Bank, deploying tanks to the territory for the first time in decades and displacing tens of thousands of Palestinians. In February, Katz ordered the military 'to prepare for a prolonged presence' as the military evacuated Palestinian refugee camps. Within the last several weeks, Israeli forces have carried out multiple waves of raids and arrests across the West Bank. Peace Now said 12 of the new settlements will be the legalization of illegal outposts. Outposts are illegally established by Jewish settlers without approval from the government with the intention to push for formal recognition and legalization. Another nine of the settlements will be entirely new, while the final one will be the conversion of an existing neighborhood to an independent settlement, according to Peace Now. Two of the settlements in the new plan were evacuated during the disengagement from parts of the West Bank in 2005, which forbade Israelis from establishing a civilian presence in those areas. That law was overturned by the current right-wing Israeli government. Smotrich gloated about the new settlements, making clear his goal was annexation. 'The next step – sovereignty! We did not take a foreign land, but the inheritance of our ancestors,' he said in a statement. Earlier this month, the security cabinet approved a land registration process for Area C of the West Bank, which is under Israeli civil and security control. Peace Now called the move 'a mega theft of Palestinian lands.'
CNN
2 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Israel approves biggest expansion of West Bank settlements in decades
Israel approved a massive expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank this week in a move described as a continuation of de facto annexation of the territory. Peace Now, an Israeli non-governmental organization that tracks settlements, said it was the largest expansion of settlements since the signing of the Oslo Accords more than 30 years ago. Israel will establish 22 new settlements, including deep within the West Bank and in area from which the country had previously withdrawn, as part of the new security cabinet decision, according to a joint statement from Defense Minister Israel Katz and far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. 'All the new communities are being established with a long-term strategic vision, aimed at reinforcing Israeli control of the territory, preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state, and securing development reserves for settlement in the coming decades,' the statement said. Peace Now blasted the government for making such a decision in the midst of a war. 'The government is making clear - again and without restraint - that it prefers deepening the occupation and advancing de facto annexation over pursuing peace,' the organization said. 'The Israeli government no longer pretends otherwise: the annexation of the Occupied Territories and expansion of settlements is its central goal.' Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, as well as in East Jerusalem and the occupied Golan Heights, are considered illegal under international law. The Oslo Accords, signed in 1993 between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), were designed to pave the way to the establishment of a Palestinian state and the realization of a two-state solution. For months, Israel's military has carried out a massive operation in the West Bank, deploying tanks to the territory for the first time in decades and displacing tens of thousands of Palestinians. In February, Katz ordered the military 'to prepare for a prolonged presence' as the military evacuated Palestinian refugee camps. Within the last several weeks, Israeli forces have carried out multiple waves of raids and arrests across the West Bank. Peace Now said 12 of the new settlements will be the legalization of illegal outposts. Outposts are illegally established be Jewish settlers without approval from the government with the intention to push for formal recognition and legalization. Another nine of the settlements will be entirely new, while the final one will be the conversion of an existing neighborhood to an independent settlement, according to Peace Now. Two of the settlements in the new plan were evacuated during the disengagement from parts of the West Bank in 2005, which forbade Israelis from establishing a civilian presence in those areas. That law was overturned by the current right-wing Israeli government. Smotrich gloated about the new settlements, making clear his goal was annexation. 'The next step – sovereignty! We did not take a foreign land, but the inheritance of our ancestors,' he said in a statement. Earlier this month, the security cabinet approved a land registration process for Area C of the West Bank, which is under Israeli civil and security control. Peace Now called the move 'a mega theft of Palestinian lands.'
LBCI
4 days ago
- General
- LBCI
Lebanon's struggle to disarm Palestinian camps: Obstacles surface before first phase
Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi The process of disarming Palestinian factions in Lebanon is shaping up to be far from straightforward, as significant obstacles begin to surface even before the first phases are fully underway. According to sources closely following the developments, deep-rooted internal disagreements within the Palestinian leadership could delay or derail the disarmament roadmap. A key point of contention lies within the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) itself, where two factions disagree on whether disarmament is a realistic or even achievable goal. One of these factions reportedly rejects the idea altogether, casting early doubts on the plan's feasibility. Beyond the PLO and its dominant faction, Fatah, the armed landscape inside Lebanon's 12 Palestinian camps is much more complex. Other powerful groups operate alongside the PLO, including the factions known as the "Alliance," such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine –General Command (PFLP-GC), and Fatah al-Intifada. While the PLO may be the strongest actor in many camps, it does not hold a monopoly on power. In camps where Hamas holds significant sway, especially in shared strongholds, the process becomes even more complicated. The presence of extremist elements, particularly in the Ain al-Hilweh camp, adds another layer of difficulty. Ain al-Hilweh, the largest and most volatile Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, has witnessed multiple rounds of armed clashes between Fatah and extremist groups that control several neighborhoods. The camp is heavily armed, with factions and militants possessing medium and heavy weaponry that have devastated parts of the camp and led to temporary mass displacement of residents. Nearby, the Miyeh w Miyeh camp is divided among the PLO, the Alliance factions, and the group Ansar Allah, further complicating any unified approach to disarmament. In the Tyre region camps, Fatah remains the dominant force. Still, medium and heavy weapons, including rockets used by Hamas and Islamic Jihad to strike Israel during the last war, remain present and active. Even in the camps set to be addressed during the initial two phases—Mar Elias, Shatila, and Borj El Brajneh in Beirut, followed by Beddaoui in the north and Al-Jalil in Baalbek—concerns persist. While these camps are believed to house only limited amounts of medium and heavy arms, observers fear that unresolved disputes between Palestinian factions could stall disarmament efforts. Adding to the complexity is the presence of extremist fighters in the Sabra-Shatila corridor, specifically in areas behind the Sports City complex. These elements, although not affiliated with mainstream factions, could pose a significant threat to stability and hinder efforts to control or collect weapons.
Asharq Al-Awsat
4 days ago
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Weapons of the Camps... and Weapons of Gaza
The Palestinians, through their legitimate representatives, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian National Authority, have decided to disarm. In full cooperation with the legitimate Lebanese authorities, they are seeking to hand the Palestinian factions' arms in the camps to the state, bringing them under Lebanese sovereignty and the rule of law. Although it came late, this was a sensible decision. These weapons had been misused in ways that make maintaining them untenable. A source of fear in the camps, they have often been used to settle intra-Palestinian power struggles, tied to the broader competition for influence in both Lebanon and the region. Rehashing past arguments to defend these arms has become pointless. Circumstances have changed in ways that have created a need for a new, more cautious approach. After every armed faction, agenda, and arena became embroiled in a disastrous conflict in which they were crushed by the Israeli army, which did not merely dominate the skies and make use of its superior technology. Indeed, the war also reflected the significance of Israel's strategic alliances, not only through funding and political cover but also through direct participation whenever needed. This Palestinian policy, which ought to be binding for all factions and even individuals, was indeed prudent. Not only is it a moral position that strengthens solidarity and reflects gratitude to a country and people who have sacrificed so much for the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian national and revolutionary struggle; it is also the right thing to do strategically. The Palestinians, who seek a political settlement that liberates them from occupation and paves a path toward g their long-sought state, have an interest in investing their assets in places that could integrate them into their settlements. Events far beyond the Palestinians' control had already initiated disarmament. Its primary and central stronghold in the South was betrayed by Syrian geography, which, in the blink of an eye, shifted from being 'with' to being 'against.' The strategic implications of losing Syria's geography should not be underestimated, both for the arms struggle and potential political settlements. This raises the same question in Gaza. How are the arms there to be addressed? The scale of armament in Gaza is incomparable to that of the Palestinian camps in Lebanon. Nonetheless, the goal of the Israeli enemy and its American ally is the same: disarming Gaza, in tandem with the disarmament of all the non-state actors in Lebanon. The question of Gaza's arsenal is a major theme of discussions around the framework for administering the enclave's future- the so-called 'day after.' Complicating matters further is that Israel can prevent any political resolution for Gaza, which is not an issue for the weapons in the camps or those of Hezbollah. The Jewish state can call the shots on governance in the territory, Hamas's arms, and the future of its ties with the West Bank. In fact, Israel is reoccupying the West Bank to create new realities on the ground that make establishing an independent Palestinian state even more unattainable. Even if we assume that Hamas will take Hezbollah's approach to its arms- and if efforts to have them handed over to the legitimate authorities succeed and follow President Mahmoud Abbas's stark and firm advice to hand over its arms to the Palestinian Authority- this would not be enough. Israel does not want to be confronted by a peaceful Palestinian Authority or the resistance of Hamas. This not only makes potential solutions less likely; it also renders any settlement increasingly out of reach. The Americans helped the Lebanese state get back on its feet and reestablish order. They continue to diligently and consistently follow efforts to turn the page on arms in Lebanon, seeking to usher in a new phase that presents an absolute contrast to the era when Lebanon had been a battleground for conflicts and wars, particularly with Israel. However, the Americans are not doing the same with the Palestinians, neither with regard to Hamas's weapons in Gaza nor the role of the legitimate Palestinian authorities in Gaza. In effect, shaping the agenda has been left entirely to Israel, with the US allowing the current round of the conflict to dictate things. Another important point to consider is that Abbas has more sway over the Palestinian factions in Lebanon than he does in Gaza. The entire world continues to see Hamas as the sole Palestinian force in the Gaza Strip. Everyone is now waiting for the implications of the war, which have yet to fully crystallize, to become clear. One shift that applies to both the camps in Lebanon and Gaza is this: armed non-state actors' survival in the Middle East is no longer taken for granted. Their armament has become the subject of serious debate, which is swinging in favor of affirming the need for states to impose a monopoly on armament.
