30 dec 2019
By: The Palestine Chronicle Staff
Following his triumph in the Likud party’s primary elections, on December 26, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu introduced a political plan aimed at securing US recognition of Israel’s annexation of West Bank settlements and rolling back Iran’s influence in the region.
Netanyahu’s plan, which is likely to play a major role in his desperate attempt to cling to power after yet another general election, slated for March, also proposes the normalization of ties between Tel Aviv and Arab countries, without ending Israel’s occupation of Palestine.
Israeli newspaper Times of Israel reported on Netanyahu’s six-point plan, which was revealed during the Israeli leader’s victory speech on Friday.
“First, we will finalize our borders; second, we will push the US to recognize our sovereignty in the Jordan Valley and the northern Dead Sea; third, we will push for US recognition of our extension of sovereignty over all the communities in Judea and Samaria, all of them without exception,” Netanyahu said.
“Fourth, we will push for a historic defense alliance with the US that will preserve Israeli freedom of action; fifth, stop Iran and its allies decisively; and sixth, push for normalization and agreements that will lead to peace accords with Arab countries”.
“Israeli officials have been preparing for this moment for more than half a century, since the West Bank and Gaza were seized back in 1967,” Palestine Chronicle contributor Jonathan Cook wrote last June.
“Annexation is not a right-wing project that has hijacked the benign intentions of Israel’s founding generation. Annexation was on the cards from the occupation’s very beginnings in 1967, when the so-called center-left – now presented as a peace-loving alternative to Netanyahu – ran the government,” Cook added.
“Ultimately, Israel wants the Palestinians gone entirely, squeezed out into neighboring Arab states, such as Egypt and Jordan. That next chapter is likely to begin in earnest if Trump ever gets the chance to unveil his deal of the century’.”
In his speech on Friday, Netanyahu promised his Likud supporters that he will “fight for them” as “they fought for me,” reported The Times of Israel.
Following his triumph in the Likud party’s primary elections, on December 26, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu introduced a political plan aimed at securing US recognition of Israel’s annexation of West Bank settlements and rolling back Iran’s influence in the region.
Netanyahu’s plan, which is likely to play a major role in his desperate attempt to cling to power after yet another general election, slated for March, also proposes the normalization of ties between Tel Aviv and Arab countries, without ending Israel’s occupation of Palestine.
Israeli newspaper Times of Israel reported on Netanyahu’s six-point plan, which was revealed during the Israeli leader’s victory speech on Friday.
“First, we will finalize our borders; second, we will push the US to recognize our sovereignty in the Jordan Valley and the northern Dead Sea; third, we will push for US recognition of our extension of sovereignty over all the communities in Judea and Samaria, all of them without exception,” Netanyahu said.
“Fourth, we will push for a historic defense alliance with the US that will preserve Israeli freedom of action; fifth, stop Iran and its allies decisively; and sixth, push for normalization and agreements that will lead to peace accords with Arab countries”.
“Israeli officials have been preparing for this moment for more than half a century, since the West Bank and Gaza were seized back in 1967,” Palestine Chronicle contributor Jonathan Cook wrote last June.
“Annexation is not a right-wing project that has hijacked the benign intentions of Israel’s founding generation. Annexation was on the cards from the occupation’s very beginnings in 1967, when the so-called center-left – now presented as a peace-loving alternative to Netanyahu – ran the government,” Cook added.
“Ultimately, Israel wants the Palestinians gone entirely, squeezed out into neighboring Arab states, such as Egypt and Jordan. That next chapter is likely to begin in earnest if Trump ever gets the chance to unveil his deal of the century’.”
In his speech on Friday, Netanyahu promised his Likud supporters that he will “fight for them” as “they fought for me,” reported The Times of Israel.
29 dec 2019
Haaretz newspaper said that the Israeli occupation army’s civil administration intends to approve the construction of hundreds of housing units in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
According to the newspaper, about 2,000 housing units will be okayed in the coming days for construction in isolated settlements and outposts.
The plan will be launched in compliance with recent remarks made by premier Benjamin Netanyahu about his intent to approve the building of 3,000 housing units in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
Netanyahu had also announced that he would soon order the annexation of the northern Jordan Valley and would seek support from the US administration to annex West Bank settlements to be part of the Jewish state.
According to the newspaper, about 2,000 housing units will be okayed in the coming days for construction in isolated settlements and outposts.
The plan will be launched in compliance with recent remarks made by premier Benjamin Netanyahu about his intent to approve the building of 3,000 housing units in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
Netanyahu had also announced that he would soon order the annexation of the northern Jordan Valley and would seek support from the US administration to annex West Bank settlements to be part of the Jewish state.
26 dec 2019
The Israeli government announced that it will approve a new plan to build 3000 settlement units throughout occupied West Bank, the Quds News Network reported.
Israeli media reported, on Wednesday, that Prime Minister Benajmin Netanyahu said 3000 settlement units, to be built throughout the West Bank, will be approved within the next couple of weeks.
Netanyahu’s statement was made addressing Likud supporters ahead of the party’s inner election, on Thursday, stating that the plan will include the expansion of several settlements.
Illegal settlers in the West Bank are estimated to 670,000, nearly half of whom live in occupied Jerusalem, in violation of international law.
The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, recently announced that the US does not consider the settlements illegal anymore, reversing the US’ longstanding policy on Israeli settlements.
International Criminal Court prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda announced, last Friday, that the ICC will launch an investigation into Israeli war crimes in the West Bank, and Gaza.
Israeli media reported, on Wednesday, that Prime Minister Benajmin Netanyahu said 3000 settlement units, to be built throughout the West Bank, will be approved within the next couple of weeks.
Netanyahu’s statement was made addressing Likud supporters ahead of the party’s inner election, on Thursday, stating that the plan will include the expansion of several settlements.
Illegal settlers in the West Bank are estimated to 670,000, nearly half of whom live in occupied Jerusalem, in violation of international law.
The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, recently announced that the US does not consider the settlements illegal anymore, reversing the US’ longstanding policy on Israeli settlements.
International Criminal Court prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda announced, last Friday, that the ICC will launch an investigation into Israeli war crimes in the West Bank, and Gaza.
24 dec 2019
Israeli bulldozers on Tuesday embarked on leveling lands in southern Nablus to expand the illegal settlements of Shilo and Shvut Rachel.
Local official Ghassan Daghlas said that settlers started to carry out large-scale bulldozing activities on Palestinian lands in Jalud village to build more housing units as part of a plan to expand the settlements of Shilo and Shvut Rachel.
Such development has taken place despite an Israeli court decision issued last year ordering a halt to all construction and expansion activities in the area, Daghlas affirmed.
He added that the Israeli higher court of justice are still studying an objection to the plan filed by the municipal councils of Jalud and Qaryut villages, where vast tracts of lands were annexed by Israel to expand the settlements.
Local official Ghassan Daghlas said that settlers started to carry out large-scale bulldozing activities on Palestinian lands in Jalud village to build more housing units as part of a plan to expand the settlements of Shilo and Shvut Rachel.
Such development has taken place despite an Israeli court decision issued last year ordering a halt to all construction and expansion activities in the area, Daghlas affirmed.
He added that the Israeli higher court of justice are still studying an objection to the plan filed by the municipal councils of Jalud and Qaryut villages, where vast tracts of lands were annexed by Israel to expand the settlements.
20 dec 2019
The United States Congress has rejected a request, from the White House, for $175mn in funds that would go towards pushing the Trump administration’s failed Middle East “peace plan”.
In a bipartisan decision, on Monday, lawmakers rejected having funds be set aside, in the government’s 2020 budget, for the so-called Trump “Deal of the Century.”
A congressional source who was involved in negotiations over the decision told Haaretz that the rejection was not motivated by politics, but rather by budgetary considerations.
“One argument against it was, ‘No one thinks this peace plan is coming out any time soon, so why devote money to it?’” the newspaper’s source said.
The Trump administration’s “Deal of the Century” was seen as a wasted effort from its inception.
The deal calls for $50bn in regional investments over 10 years, with $28bn going to the Palestinian territories – the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip – as well as $7.5bn to Jordan, $9bn to Egypt and $6n for Lebanon.
However, the Palestinian side has strongly rejected the Trump administration’s proposed deal with the Israeli regime, PNN reports.
Palestinian Authority spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh stressed, earlier this year, that any initiative short of a sovereign Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 boundaries, with the entire East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital, would be doomed from start.
In a bipartisan decision, on Monday, lawmakers rejected having funds be set aside, in the government’s 2020 budget, for the so-called Trump “Deal of the Century.”
A congressional source who was involved in negotiations over the decision told Haaretz that the rejection was not motivated by politics, but rather by budgetary considerations.
“One argument against it was, ‘No one thinks this peace plan is coming out any time soon, so why devote money to it?’” the newspaper’s source said.
The Trump administration’s “Deal of the Century” was seen as a wasted effort from its inception.
The deal calls for $50bn in regional investments over 10 years, with $28bn going to the Palestinian territories – the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip – as well as $7.5bn to Jordan, $9bn to Egypt and $6n for Lebanon.
However, the Palestinian side has strongly rejected the Trump administration’s proposed deal with the Israeli regime, PNN reports.
Palestinian Authority spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh stressed, earlier this year, that any initiative short of a sovereign Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 boundaries, with the entire East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital, would be doomed from start.
19 dec 2019
The UN Mideast envoy said Wednesday that Israel advanced or approved plans for over 22,000 housing units in West Bank settlements and east Jerusalem in the three years since the Security Council adopted a resolution condemning settlements on lands the Palestinians want for their future state.
Nickolay Mladenov told the UN Security Council that in addition, Israel issued tenders for some 8,000 housing units since the December 2016 resolution, which also declared that the settlements have “no legal validity.”
He said the numbers “should be of serious concern to all those who continue to support the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state alongside Israel.”
Mladenov was reporting to the council on implementation of the 2016 resolution.
The resolution was approved by the council when the UN, in the final weeks of the Obama administration, abstained rather than using its veto to support longtime ally Israel as it had done many times previously.
US ambassador Kelly Craft told the council that she would have vetoed the resolution, which the Trump administration opposes.
In this regard, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a report to the Security Council circulated Wednesday that the settlements have “no legal effect.”
He declared that construction and approvals “must cease immediately and completely.”
“The existence and expansion of settlements fuel resentment and hopelessness among the Palestinian population and significantly heighten Israeli-Palestinian tensions,” the UN chief said. “In addition, they continue to undermine the prospects for ending the (Israeli) occupation and achieving the two-state solution by systematically eroding the possibility of establishing a contiguous and viable Palestinian state.”
Guterres said he regrets the Trump administration’s announcement on November 18 that it no longer views “the establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank” as “per se, inconsistent with international law.”
Nickolay Mladenov told the UN Security Council that in addition, Israel issued tenders for some 8,000 housing units since the December 2016 resolution, which also declared that the settlements have “no legal validity.”
He said the numbers “should be of serious concern to all those who continue to support the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state alongside Israel.”
Mladenov was reporting to the council on implementation of the 2016 resolution.
The resolution was approved by the council when the UN, in the final weeks of the Obama administration, abstained rather than using its veto to support longtime ally Israel as it had done many times previously.
US ambassador Kelly Craft told the council that she would have vetoed the resolution, which the Trump administration opposes.
In this regard, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a report to the Security Council circulated Wednesday that the settlements have “no legal effect.”
He declared that construction and approvals “must cease immediately and completely.”
“The existence and expansion of settlements fuel resentment and hopelessness among the Palestinian population and significantly heighten Israeli-Palestinian tensions,” the UN chief said. “In addition, they continue to undermine the prospects for ending the (Israeli) occupation and achieving the two-state solution by systematically eroding the possibility of establishing a contiguous and viable Palestinian state.”
Guterres said he regrets the Trump administration’s announcement on November 18 that it no longer views “the establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank” as “per se, inconsistent with international law.”
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