Boris Johnson: Israel’s planned annexation breaches international law
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Tuesday that Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank would “amount to a breach of international law.”
Palestinians
Israel Builds New Road Linking Jewish Settlements in West Bank to Jerusalem
Israel has started construction of a major ring road that will connect Jewish settlements in the West Bank to Jerusalem, Reuters reported exclusively Monday. Israeli officials say the road will ease traffic congestion and will benefit Palestinian West Bank residents as well as Israelis. Palestinians have criticized the road as a hindrance to making East Jerusalem the capital of a future state and for cutting Palestinian neighborhoods off from each other.
EU urges US to join new Israeli-Palestinian peace push, rejects Trump plan
European Union foreign ministers on Monday urged the United States to join a new effort to breathe life into long-stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, but they rejected US President Donald Trump’s Middle East plan as the basis for any international process.
Israel High Court Strikes Down Law that Legalized Unlawful Settler Homes in West Bank
On Wednesday, Israel’s High Court of Justice struck down a law passed in 2017 to retroactively legalize settler houses built illegally on Palestinian-owned land in the West Bank, CBN News reports. The law was frozen from the time it passed in order for petitions against it to be heard.
Palestinians To Declare State If Israel Annexes West Bank Part
The Palestinian prime minister says his government will declare a new Palestinian state, perhaps as early as next month, if Israel goes ahead with plans to annex parts of the West Bank.
Former Dubai Police Chief: Arab Nations Should Normalize Ties with Israel
A former police chief of Dubai has controversially called for all Arab states to normalize relations with Israel. On Twitter this weekend, Khalfan Tamim said: “Israel wants long-term peace and security. I support that.” Moreover, Tamim said: “From the moment that the Gulf States normalize their ties with Israel, Qatar’s job as a proxy state for terror organizations will end,” Israel Hayom reported.
Palestinian Shariah judge may have authorized Muslims to kill Israelis
Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) says supreme Palestinian Shariah judge Mahmoud Al-Habbash appears to have authorized Muslims to kill Israelis, WND reported Sunday. Al-Habbash, who was appointed by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, said in a recent televised address that the Quran shows there are 10 transgressions against which Palestinians are commanded to fight: according to PMW, these transgressions seem to have “been carefully selected in order to turn every single Israeli into a target that every Palestinian Muslim is ‘commanded’ to fight and ‘allowed’ kill.”
Netanyahu say Right-Wing MKs Will Be Asked to Vote Only on Annexation, Not On a Palestinian State At This Time
As he prepares to ask the Knesset to vote on a plan for Israeli annexation of parts of the West Bank, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained Thursday that MKs will only have to vote on the issue of sovereignty, not on the issue of a Palestinian state, the Jerusalem Post reports.
Palestinians Warn Israel Of “Serious Consequences” Over West Bank Annexation
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) warned Israel on Wednesday of “serious consequences,” if the Jewish state continues its attempts to annex parts of the West Bank and Jordan Valley. “There would be consequences for this measure on the economic and political Palestinian-Israeli relationship,” said PLO Secretary-General Saeb Erekat.
European Leaders Asked Netanyahu Not to Annex Parts of the West Bank Unilaterally
A number of European heads of state recently wrote to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asking him not to proceed with plans for unilateral annexation of parts of the West Bank, Israel’s Channel 13 reported Tuesday. French President Emmanuel Macron made the request of Netanyahu “in a spirit of friendship.”
Iran Defends Anti-Israel Poster Calling For ’Final Solution’
Iran has defended an anti-Israel poster published by the country’s leader calling for ”the final solution,” amid accusations that he wants genocide against Jews.
Iran’s Ayatollah Khameini calls for “Final Solution” in eliminating Israel
In calling for the “elimination of Israel” on Wednesday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khameini used the words ‘final solution,’ CBN news reports. The phrase Hitler applied to describe his plans for a Jewish genocide was adopted in a poster published to Khamenei’s website on the occasion of Quds Day, Iran’s annual anti-Israel event.
Russia said pushing ‘mini-summit’ to mend ties between US, Palestinians
Russia is reportedly seeking to arrange a meeting in the coming weeks between US and Palestinian officials to help renew ties between Washington and Ramallah, which have frayed during US President Donald Trump’s presidency.
EU Will Not Recognize Unilateral Israeli Annexation of Parts of West Bank
The European Union’s head of foreign policy stated Monday that the bloc would not recognize any annexation changes Israel made to “1967 borders” unless these had been agreed by the Palestinians, the Times of Israel reports. In his statement, Josep Borrell added: “We strongly urge Israel to refrain from any unilateral decision that would lead to the annexation of any occupied Palestinian territory and would be, as such, contrary to international law.”
Opinion Polls Present Conflicting Results on Palestinian Support for Third Intifada
Recent opinion polls unanimously demonstrate that around 90% of Palestinians reject President Trump’s peace plan, the Washington Institute reports. However, separate polls show different results on Palestinian support for a third intifada as a means by which to resist the plan.
US promise of Israeli sovereignty in Judea, Samaria enrages Palestinians
Comments by U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman on Wednesday to Israel Hayom sparked mixed reactions even among Israel’s Right. Not surprisingly, Palestinian leaders were furious.
Iran Cancels Annual ‘Death to Israel’ Rallies Because of COVID-19
Iran officially called off its annual anti-Israel al-Quds Day rallies due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Arab League: Israeli annexation of West Bank would be a ‘new war crime’
The Arab League said Thursday that Israel’s controversial proposal to annex part of the West Bank constituted a ‘new war crime’ against the Palestinians, during a virtual conference chaired in Cairo.
US willing to recognize extension of Israeli sovereignty parts of West Bank in context of negotiations with Palestinians
The US State Department said Monday it was prepared to recognize actions taken by Israel to extend Israeli sovereignty to parts of the West Bank. However, this recognition would be ‘in the context of the Government of Israel agreeing to negotiate with the Palestinians along the lines set forth in President Trump’s [peace plan],’ a State Department spokesperson told The Times of Israel.
Gaza Preacher Praises Allah for Infecting Israelis, Americans — Day Before First Cases Reported in Gaza
A preacher told worshipers in Gaza’s largest mosque on Friday that Allah sent the coronavirus to inflict suffering on Israelis, Americans and those who plot against the Al-Aqsa mosque, while protecting Palestinians.