28 june 2020
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Large units of Israeli forces raided today the village of Beit Iksa, northwest of the occupied city of Jerusalem, and proceeded to raze a plot of land belonging to a local Palestinian family, local sources said.
Local witnesses told WAFA that forces, accompanied by a bulldozer, razed a plot of land belonging to the Hamayel family. Forces reportedly deployed heavily in the area, sealed off the village entrances, and took over the rooftops of several nearby homes turning them into military outposts before proceeding to raze the land. Beit Iksa has a population of around 2000 people, and is surrounded on all sides by illegal Israel settlements and the separation barrier. |
27 june 2020
Extremist Israeli settlers took advantage of the hot weather today and set fire to fields in the village of Burin, south of Nablus city in the occupied West Bank, said a local source. video
Ghassan Daghlas, who monitors Israeli settlement activities in the northern West Bank, told WAFA that settlers from the illegal settlement of Yitzhar set fire to fields in the village of Burin, south of Nablus, causing fire to engulf a large area planted with trees.
Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have been demanding international protection against Israeli settler attacks, often condoned and supported by the army.
Settler violence is commonplace across the occupied West Bank, and is rarely prosecuted by Israeli authorities as the Palestinian Authority has no jurisdiction over Israeli settlers.
Ghassan Daghlas, who monitors Israeli settlement activities in the northern West Bank, told WAFA that settlers from the illegal settlement of Yitzhar set fire to fields in the village of Burin, south of Nablus, causing fire to engulf a large area planted with trees.
Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have been demanding international protection against Israeli settler attacks, often condoned and supported by the army.
Settler violence is commonplace across the occupied West Bank, and is rarely prosecuted by Israeli authorities as the Palestinian Authority has no jurisdiction over Israeli settlers.
25 june 2020
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Today, US Representatives Jan Schakowsky, Ted Deutch, David Price, and Brad Schneider led 185 of their House Democratic colleagues in a letter to the Israeli government expressing concern over potential efforts to unilaterally annex parts of the West Bank and calling on Israel to reconsider its annexation plan.
The letter, addressed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Alternate Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, highlights the long-standing bipartisan support for the US-Israel relationship and commitment to a two-state solution achieved through direction negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians. "Our fear is that unilateral actions, taken by either side, will push the parties further from negotiations and the possibility of a final, negotiated agreement," the Members of Congress write. The letter references two votes in the U.S. House of Representatives in |
2019 - House Resolution 246 and House Resolution 326 - in which House Democrats overwhelmingly approved language supporting the two state solution and the historic bilateral relationship between the US and Israel, reaffirming Congressional support for Israel's security, and recognizing the Palestinian right to self-determination.
The Members of Congress caution that unilateral annexation would likely "risks insecurity in Jordan, with serious ancillary risks to Israel," and "could create serious problems for Israel with its European friends and other partners around the world:"
"We do not see how any of these acute risks serve the long-term interest of a strong, secure Israel," they wrote.
The letter concludes, "As committed partners in supporting and protecting the special US-Israel relationship, we express our deep concern with the stated intention to move ahead with any unilateral annexation of West Bank territory, and we urge your government to reconsider plans to do so."
The Members of Congress caution that unilateral annexation would likely "risks insecurity in Jordan, with serious ancillary risks to Israel," and "could create serious problems for Israel with its European friends and other partners around the world:"
"We do not see how any of these acute risks serve the long-term interest of a strong, secure Israel," they wrote.
The letter concludes, "As committed partners in supporting and protecting the special US-Israel relationship, we express our deep concern with the stated intention to move ahead with any unilateral annexation of West Bank territory, and we urge your government to reconsider plans to do so."
Israeli forces today demolished two Palestinian buildings that were still in the construction phase in the town of Anata, northeast of occupied Jerusalem, according to local sources. video
Mayor of Anata, Taha Rifai, told WAFA that Israeli forces escorted bulldozers into the town where they demolished the two two-story buildings - one 200 square meters and the other 150 square meters - under the pretext they were built without a license.
IOF razes unfinished house in Anata town
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Thursday morning demolished a Palestinian house under construction in Anata town, northeast of Jerusalem.
According to local sources, bulldozers escorted by soldiers stormed al-Baq’aan neighborhood in the town and embarked on razing the house, which belonged to a local resident called Saed al-Khatib.
The IOF demolished yesterday several inhabited and uninhabited homes in Jabel Mukaber and Beit Hanina neighborhoods in east Jerusalem as well as in the West Bank towns of Beitunia, at-Tira and Beit Sira.
Mayor of Anata, Taha Rifai, told WAFA that Israeli forces escorted bulldozers into the town where they demolished the two two-story buildings - one 200 square meters and the other 150 square meters - under the pretext they were built without a license.
IOF razes unfinished house in Anata town
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Thursday morning demolished a Palestinian house under construction in Anata town, northeast of Jerusalem.
According to local sources, bulldozers escorted by soldiers stormed al-Baq’aan neighborhood in the town and embarked on razing the house, which belonged to a local resident called Saed al-Khatib.
The IOF demolished yesterday several inhabited and uninhabited homes in Jabel Mukaber and Beit Hanina neighborhoods in east Jerusalem as well as in the West Bank towns of Beitunia, at-Tira and Beit Sira.
More than 1,000 elected officials from 25 European countries have signed a letter opposing Israel’s latest planned annexation of Palestinian territory.
The letter issued a couple of days ago read as follows:
We, parliamentarians from across Europe committed to a rules-based global order, share serious concerns about President Trump’s plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the imminent prospect of Israeli annexation of West Bank territory. We are deeply worried about the precedent this would set for international relations at
large.
For decades, Europe has been promoting a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the form of a two-state solution, in line with international law and relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. Regrettably, President Trump’s plan departs from internationally agreed parameters and principles. It promotes effectively permanent Israeli control over a fragmented Palestinian territory, leaving Palestinians with no sovereignty and giving a green light to Israel to unilaterally annex significant parts of the West Bank.
In line with the Trump plan, Israel’s new coalition agreement states that the government can move forward with annexation as soon as 1 July 2020. Such a move will be fatal to the prospects of Israeli- Palestinian peace and will challenge the most basic norms guiding international relations, including the UN Charter.
We are profoundly concerned about the impact of annexation on the lives of Israelis and Palestinians, as well as its destabilizing potential in a region on our continent’s doorstep. These concerns are no less serious at a time when the world is struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic, the largest collective emergency we have faced for decades.
In appreciation of Europe’s long-term commitment to a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we ask European leaders to act decisively in response to this challenge.
Europe must take the lead in bringing international actors together to prevent annexation and to safeguard the prospects of the two-state solution and a just resolution to the conflict.
European representatives, including EU High Representative Josep Borrell, have stated that annexation “could not pass unchallenged”. We fully support this: acquisition of territory by force has no place in 2020 and must have commensurate consequences. Failure to adequately respond would encourage other states with territorial claims to disregard basic principles of international law. The rules-based global order is central to Europe’s own long-term stability and security. We have a profound interest and responsibility to protect it.
A lasting solution to the conflict must meet the legitimate aspirations and security needs and guarantee equal rights of both Israelis and Palestinians. Europe has the diplomatic tools to promote this just goal, and we stand ready to support such efforts.
The letter issued a couple of days ago read as follows:
We, parliamentarians from across Europe committed to a rules-based global order, share serious concerns about President Trump’s plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the imminent prospect of Israeli annexation of West Bank territory. We are deeply worried about the precedent this would set for international relations at
large.
For decades, Europe has been promoting a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the form of a two-state solution, in line with international law and relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. Regrettably, President Trump’s plan departs from internationally agreed parameters and principles. It promotes effectively permanent Israeli control over a fragmented Palestinian territory, leaving Palestinians with no sovereignty and giving a green light to Israel to unilaterally annex significant parts of the West Bank.
In line with the Trump plan, Israel’s new coalition agreement states that the government can move forward with annexation as soon as 1 July 2020. Such a move will be fatal to the prospects of Israeli- Palestinian peace and will challenge the most basic norms guiding international relations, including the UN Charter.
We are profoundly concerned about the impact of annexation on the lives of Israelis and Palestinians, as well as its destabilizing potential in a region on our continent’s doorstep. These concerns are no less serious at a time when the world is struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic, the largest collective emergency we have faced for decades.
In appreciation of Europe’s long-term commitment to a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we ask European leaders to act decisively in response to this challenge.
Europe must take the lead in bringing international actors together to prevent annexation and to safeguard the prospects of the two-state solution and a just resolution to the conflict.
European representatives, including EU High Representative Josep Borrell, have stated that annexation “could not pass unchallenged”. We fully support this: acquisition of territory by force has no place in 2020 and must have commensurate consequences. Failure to adequately respond would encourage other states with territorial claims to disregard basic principles of international law. The rules-based global order is central to Europe’s own long-term stability and security. We have a profound interest and responsibility to protect it.
A lasting solution to the conflict must meet the legitimate aspirations and security needs and guarantee equal rights of both Israelis and Palestinians. Europe has the diplomatic tools to promote this just goal, and we stand ready to support such efforts.
Seven European nations warned on Wednesday that any Israeli annexation steps in the occupied Palestinian territories would harm their ties with Israel.
“Following our obligations and responsibilities under international law, annexation would have consequences for our close relationship with Israel and will not be recognized by us,” the French ambassador to the UN in in New York Nicolas de Riviere said in a statement he read out in the name of the seven countries during a virtual meeting.
This position has been voiced by the five European countries who are now members of the UN Security Council, France, Britain, Belgium, Germany, and Estonia. The new incoming European UNSC members, Ireland and Norway, also signed the statement.
“We all currently enjoy a close relationship with Israel and wish to continue working with Israel in a constructive and comprehensive way in the spirit of the long following friendship that binds us,” de Riviere said, but he warned that those ties would not continue if annexation moved forward.
“If any annexation of the West Bank, however big or small is implemented, it would constitute a clear violation of international law, including the UN charter as well as the UN Security Council resolutions,” de Riviere said.
Annexation would weaken peace efforts and harm the security of region, including that of Israel, he added.
The French ambassador underscored that the seven countries would not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders that were not agreed upon during talks between the Palestinians and Israelis.
The seven spoke out after the monthly UNSC meeting on the Middle East, which focused almost exclusively on Israel’s intended annexation plans, which is part of US president Donald Trump’s peace plan known widely as the deal of the century.
To underscore the seriousness of any annexation steps, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres and Arab League secretary-general Ahmed Aboul Gheit made rare appearance at the meeting to dismiss the Trump peace plan and call for a revival of Palestinian-Israeli negotiations based on the pre-1967 borders. The Trump plan for a two-state solution makes no reference to those borders.
“Following our obligations and responsibilities under international law, annexation would have consequences for our close relationship with Israel and will not be recognized by us,” the French ambassador to the UN in in New York Nicolas de Riviere said in a statement he read out in the name of the seven countries during a virtual meeting.
This position has been voiced by the five European countries who are now members of the UN Security Council, France, Britain, Belgium, Germany, and Estonia. The new incoming European UNSC members, Ireland and Norway, also signed the statement.
“We all currently enjoy a close relationship with Israel and wish to continue working with Israel in a constructive and comprehensive way in the spirit of the long following friendship that binds us,” de Riviere said, but he warned that those ties would not continue if annexation moved forward.
“If any annexation of the West Bank, however big or small is implemented, it would constitute a clear violation of international law, including the UN charter as well as the UN Security Council resolutions,” de Riviere said.
Annexation would weaken peace efforts and harm the security of region, including that of Israel, he added.
The French ambassador underscored that the seven countries would not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders that were not agreed upon during talks between the Palestinians and Israelis.
The seven spoke out after the monthly UNSC meeting on the Middle East, which focused almost exclusively on Israel’s intended annexation plans, which is part of US president Donald Trump’s peace plan known widely as the deal of the century.
To underscore the seriousness of any annexation steps, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres and Arab League secretary-general Ahmed Aboul Gheit made rare appearance at the meeting to dismiss the Trump peace plan and call for a revival of Palestinian-Israeli negotiations based on the pre-1967 borders. The Trump plan for a two-state solution makes no reference to those borders.
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