Latest news with #YarivLevin
Dubai Eye
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Dubai Eye
Arab League condemns Israeli minister's calls to annex West Bank
The Arab League, which includes the UAE, has condemned statements made by Israel's Justice Minister Yariv Levin calling for the annexation of the occupied West Bank. The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit called the statements 'dangerous and irresponsible' and said they reflect an 'arrogant' approach that disregards international law which threatens to ignite tensions in the region, adding they are considered 'political bullying' that must be confronted by the international community. Aboul Gheit also reaffirmed that, under international law, the West Bank is an occupied Palestinian territory. Israeli media quoted Levin, saying: 'Beyond the current issues, [it] is a time of historic opportunity that we must not miss. 'The time for sovereignty has come, the time to apply sovereignty. My position on this matter is firm, it is clear." Israeli settlers have ramped up attacks on villages in the West Bank since October 7. The settlers have built outposts in areas deemed illegal under both international and Israeli law. Between 1996 and 2023, an average of seven illegal settler outposts were established annually. In 2024, settlers erected are around 500,000 settlers living in the West Bank and over 100,000 in East Jerusalem. In early June, the Israeli security cabinet approved the establishment of 22 new settlements in the West Bank, in areas where it previously withdrew, as well as new locations deep within the West Bank. The UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Norway imposed sanctions on Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir this week - a rare expression of discontent by Israel's longtime allies - over their complicity in settlement expansion.
Middle East
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Middle East
OPEN// Egypt decries Israeli statements on imposing sovereignty over occupied West Bank
CAIRO, July 2 (MENA) - Egypt condemned recent statements by Israeli officials calling for the annexation of the occupied West Bank, the most recent of which was issued by Israeli Minister of Justice Yariv Levin. In a statement issued Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigration reaffirmed Egypt's categorical rejection of these statements, describing them as flagrant violations of international law that seek to entrench the unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory and undermine the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state along the June 4, 1967 borders, including the West Bank, Gaza Strip with Al Quds (occupied East Jerusalem) as its capital. Egypt reaffirmed its rejection of the ongoing and flagrant Israeli violations in the West Bank, including military incursions, arbitrary arrests, and the continued expansion of illegal settlements, which are taking place in parallel with the grave breaches occurring in the Gaza Strip, aimed at dismantling the very foundations of life for the steadfast Palestinian people. Egypt urged the international community to take immediate and resolute action to halt these flagrant violations against the Palestinian people on their own land, the statement said. It also stressed the urgent need for concerted international efforts to realize the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, topped by the establishment of an independent state on the entirety of their national territory. (MENA) R R N/S R E
Al-Ahram Weekly
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt condemns Israeli Minister's statements over occupied West Bank annexation - Foreign Affairs
Egypt strongly condemned on Wednesday the recent statements made by Israeli officials advocating for the annexation of the occupied West Bank, including the latest remarks by the Israeli Minister of Justice. 'Egypt categorically rejects these declarations, which are in clear violation of international law and represent a dangerous attempt to entrench an illegal occupation of Palestinian territories,' said the Egyptian Foreign Ministry in a statement on Wednesday. Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin declared that 'the time has come' to annexe the West Bank during a meeting with settler leader Yossi Dagan. 'I believe that this period—regardless of current issues—is a historic opportunity that must not be missed,' a report by The Times of Israel on Wednesday quoted Levin as he referred to the annexation of disputed territories. In a statement issued by Dagan's office, accompanied by a released video, Levin told him: 'It is time for sovereignty, time to implement it. My stance on this matter is firm and clear.' He further emphasised that the issue should be 'at the top of the priority list.' The Egyptian Foreign Ministry stated that such statements undermined the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and jeopardised the prospects for determining their destiny and establishing an independent state along the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. They also threaten the regional unity of the Palestinian territories, including the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, it added. Egypt also reaffirmed its rejection of ongoing Israeli violations in the West Bank, including military raids, arbitrary arrests, and settlement expansion. 'These actions not only breach international law but also coincide with ongoing crimes in the Gaza Strip, aiming to dismantle all aspects of life for the Palestinian people,' the statement read. Egypt called on the international community to intervene immediately to put an end to these grave violations and halt the systematic annexation of Palestinian land. It also urged the international community to take responsible action in fulfilling the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, chief among them the establishment of an independent state on the entirety of their national territory. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Arab News
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli minister's call for sovereignty over occupied West Bank
RIYADH: A government minister's threat for Israel to apply full sovereignty over the occupied West Bank was strongly condemned by Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Kingdom 'condemned and denunciated' the statement made by the Israeli official calling for the imposition of sovereignty over the Palestinian territory. Such action would be a violation of international law, the statement said. Saudi Arabia rejects any attempts to expand settlements on Palestinian land, the ministry added, while reiterating the Kingdom's position on the importance of Israel abiding by international resolutions. The statement followed comments from Israel's Justice Minister Yariv Levin saying 'the time has come' for Israel to apply sovereignty across the West Bank. Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967 and has built dozens of settlements, deemed illegal under international law, across the territory. The Saudi foreign ministry offered its support for the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate rights and in establishing a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Al Bawaba
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Israeli government officials demand immediate annexation of occupied West Bank
ALBAWABA- All 14 ministers from Israel's ruling Likud party, along with Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, have signed a letter demanding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proceed with the immediate annexation of the occupied West Bank, Anadolu Agency reported. The letter calls for the move to be completed by July 27, describing it as a 'historic opportunity' to secure Israel's future and legitimize decades of settlement expansion. Justice Minister Yariv Levin echoed the demand in a public statement following a meeting with prominent settler leader Yossi Dagan. 'The time has come to annex the West Bank,' Levin said, insisting that the current political moment is a 'historic opportunity we must not miss.' The move sparked swift condemnation from Arab nations. The Saudi Foreign Ministry denounced the Israeli statements, rejecting what it described as attempts by 'occupation authorities to impose sovereignty over Palestinian lands.' Egypt's Foreign Minister also strongly condemned the annexation calls, urging immediate international intervention to halt what he termed 'flagrant violations' of Palestinian rights. Jordan joined in denouncing the statements, warning of grave regional consequences. The push to annex the West Bank, a territory occupied since 1967 and central to any future Palestinian state, would formalize Israeli sovereignty over an area considered illegal to annex under international law. Supporters within Israel claim the move would bolster national security and align with long-standing historical claims, particularly under the supportive posture of U.S. President Donald Trump. The recent push by the Israeli government to annex the occupied West Bank is being viewed by many analysts and regional observers as part of a broader, U.S.-backed colonial expansion project that extends beyond Palestine and into parts of Syria and Lebanon. This drive is reinforced by the escalating U.S.-Israeli confrontation with Iran, which appears aimed at dismantling any regional resistance to expansionist ambitions long championed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump. Also Read Over 170 killed in Gaza in 24 hours as Israel intensifies assault President Trump has repeatedly justified Israel's expansionist agenda, once comparing Israel to a 'small patch' in a vast Middle Eastern landscape, framing its enlargement as both natural and necessary. Such rhetoric, coupled with Washington's dominance over international institutions and its readiness to use military and diplomatic pressure, has led many observers in the region to look into the U.S. policy in the Middle East as a modern colonial project that blatantly violates international law and tramples the rights of Palestinians and other regional peoples. At the heart of this project lies occupied Palestine, viewed by many as both a symbol and a strategic centerpiece of a wider effort to reshape the region through force, annexation, and strategic normalization.
