All articles tagged with #israeli settlements
Over 100 former French and British diplomats published a letter urging Paris and London to cooperate to uphold international law in the Palestinian territories, accusing Israel of seeking to destroy prospects for an independent Palestinian state and of ethnic cleansing in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, and calling for accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee denounced the West Bank settler siege of the village of Qusra as a 'horrific act of terror,' noting Israel intervened at Washington's request but did not remove the settlers; the blockade left Palestinian homes cut off and underscores rising settler violence and ongoing US‑Israel diplomacy over the occupied territories.
Belgium's government approved 88 measures before the summer break, including an import ban on goods from illegally occupied Palestinian territories, part of broader EU pressure on Israel. Details of the ban are still unclear, while the EU weighs options like licensing, tariffs, or a total ban. France, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Spain favor a full ban, whereas Germany and Italy oppose. If treated as foreign policy, the move would require unanimous backing. Belgian Foreign Minister criticized the EU for slow progress on stricter steps.
Belgium’s federal government approved a ban on importing goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, joining a growing number of European states acting unilaterally as EU-wide action stalls. The move follows a Global Echo Litigation Center investigation highlighting settlement-origin labeling in thousands of European shipments, and comes as Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia have enacted similar bans. The EU has debated options (import ban, licensing, tariffs) but has yet to adopt a bloc-wide policy, while Israel remains a major EU trading partner and national bans underscore ongoing tensions over settlement goods.
Amnesty International accuses Israel of a state‑driven campaign of ethnic cleansing against Palestinian Bedouin and herding communities in Area C of the West Bank, detailing settler violence near Zanuta (Meitarim Farm) that targets tents, homes and water infrastructure and framing the violence as part of a broader policy of annexation and settlement expansion; the report calls on the international community to confront the state’s role and take action to halt the displacement.
Amnesty International says 212 outposts were created since 2023, displacing Palestinians across 27 West Bank hamlets and villages, and criticizes the international community for inaction as it alleges ethnic cleansing tied to settlement expansion and governance.
Israel’s cabinet approved sweeping changes that extend civilian control into Palestinian-run areas of the West Bank, giving Israel authority over municipal services and planning for sites like Hebron’s Cave of the Patriarchs. Palestinian officials say the move amounts to de facto annexation and signals the end of renewed peace talks, with Hebron’s acting mayor Asma al-Sharabati lamenting that Palestinians are “not protected” as settlers and Israeli authorities tighten control. The development drew international condemnation and underscored concerns that the Oslo framework is eroding as the West Bank’s status shifts.
Christmas was celebrated in Bethlehem after a two-year hiatus, but festivities were limited due to Israeli military checkpoints and ongoing conflict in the West Bank, where Palestinians face displacement, home demolitions, and violence amid increased settlement expansion and political tensions.
Israeli settlers in the West Bank have escalated arson and violence against Palestinians, targeting farms, warehouses, and villages amid a surge in attacks during the olive harvest season, with international concerns over increased violence and settlement expansion.
The UN has added nearly 70 companies from 11 countries to its blacklist for allegedly supporting Israeli settlements in the West Bank, highlighting concerns over human rights violations and international law. The list now includes 158 companies, mostly Israeli, with some from the US, Europe, and China, and aims to name and shame firms linked to settlement activities. Israel strongly rejects the list, calling it unjustified, amid ongoing tensions over settlement expansion and potential annexation plans.
The UN Human Rights Office updated its database to include 158 companies involved in activities related to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, emphasizing the need for corporate accountability and state diligence to prevent human rights abuses.
The UN has added nearly 70 companies to its blacklist for allegedly supporting Israeli settlements in the West Bank, highlighting concerns over human rights violations and international law. The list now includes 158 companies from various countries, mainly involved in construction, real estate, and related sectors, with some companies removed and others added. The move aims to pressure businesses and governments to prevent complicity in rights abuses amid ongoing Israeli-Palestinian tensions.
Several Western countries are set to recognize a Palestinian state, marking a symbolic milestone, but the reality on the ground—Israeli settlements, military occupation, and internal Palestinian issues—makes the establishment of a viable Palestinian state unlikely in the near term. The recognition could have legal and diplomatic implications, but significant obstacles remain, including Israeli policies and Palestinian governance challenges.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio inaugurated a controversial archaeological site in East Jerusalem, operated by Israeli settlers, amid protests from Palestinian residents and rights groups who see it as a symbol of Israeli settlement expansion and a challenge to international law and Palestinian rights.
The U.N. human rights chief reported a record expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, warning that it could eliminate the possibility of a viable Palestinian state. The report documented a surge in Israeli housing units and a rise in violence against Palestinians, with over 400 Palestinians killed since deadly Hamas attacks in October. The U.S. Biden administration has deemed the settlements "inconsistent" with international law, while Israel asserts a biblical birthright to the land. The report will be presented to the Human Rights Council in late March.