Egypt condemns Israeli decision to legalise five more settlements
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry called the move a “clear continuation and persistence in the policy of violating international law and UN Security Council resolutions”.
It also strongly denounced “Israel’s exploitation of the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip to further entrench illegal settlement expansion” as well as steps to alter the legal status of the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem.
The ministry said that the international community must intervene to stop Israel’s illegal actions and practices and intensify efforts for the immediate end of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
Saudi Arabia denounces Israel’s moves to expand settlements
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry has issued a statement expressing the kingdom’s condemnation and denunciation of the Israeli decision to “expand blatant settlement activity in the West Bank”.
The ministry said Saudi Arabia “firmly rejects the continuous Israeli violations of international law and resolutions of international legitimacy”.
The Israeli action poses “severe consequences”, given the “lack of international accountability mechanisms,” the ministry said, adding that “these transgressions undercut the prospects for peace and exacerbate conflicts, destabilising regional and international security and stability”.
Israel expands powers over one-fifth of West Bank
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s plan to recognise five illegal settler outposts in the occupied West Bank has drawn condemnation from several governments as well as the EU, the Arab League and UN officials.
In addition to recognising the outposts, Smotrich’s plan removes civilian powers related to construction and zoning in one-fifth of the occupied West Bank, in what is known as “Area B”.
Under the Oslo Accords, which divided the occupied West Bank into areas A, B and C in 1995, Area B falls under Palestinian civil control and Israeli security control.
According to the secretary-general of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Smotrich’s plan “dismantles any semblance of Palestinian Authority, including in Area B”, and represents a “complete and final reversal of the Oslo Accords”.
The A,B,C partition was only meant to be temporary with Israel gradually relinquishing control to the PA. However the opposite happened with Israeli Settlers gradually moving in and expanding Israeli control. Now (what remains of) Area B is practically becoming part of Area C, while daily and nightly raids continue into area A. Plus there is no freedom of movement between Area A cities, total occupation.
Israeli forces arrests 20 in latest occupied West Bank raids
The arrests took place over the weekend during incursions into Hebron, Tulkarem, Nablus and Jerusalem governorates, according to the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society. During the raids, Israeli forces severely beat detainees, threatened their families, and caused damage to Palestinian homes, the group said.
The latest arrests bring the total number of detentions in the occupied West Bank since October 7 to 9,450, it added.
Israeli air strike hits home in Nur Shams camp, one killed, wounding 5 others
Israeli forces bombed a home in the Nur Shams camp, near Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank, reports Wafa.
One person was killed and five others were wounded, two severely, said the Palestinian Health Ministry in a statement.
Nur Shams, known as a centre of Palestinian resistance in the occupied West Bank, has faced regular Israeli raids and attacks throughout the war on Gaza.
