Israel continues to colonize Palestine and has announced the legalization of nine “wild” Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The so-called “wild” settlements are settlements built without the permission of the Tel Aviv government. Previously these were communities that emerged for years in territories under Palestinian Authority control, and were widely tolerated but considered illegal by the Israeli administration.
The decision of the cabinet chaired by Benjamin Netanyahu, one of the most extreme in the history of the country, coincides with the exacerbation of relations between the parties, the conflict witnessed by the increase in attacks originating from Palestine on the one hand, and the hardening of the hard front on the other. The Israeli edition alone has reported more than 40 victims since the beginning of this year. The latest terrorist act dates back to last Friday, when a Palestinian man driving crashed into a bus stop in East Jerusalem’s Ramot neighborhood and instantly killed three people, two of whom were children. An act described as “brutal” by the Israeli prime minister.
Currently, 475,000 Israelis live in the West Bank, where approximately 2.8 million Palestinians live. But after the latest statements by the executive, the increase in the number of settlers seems inevitable and this has seriously alarmed the Palestinian leaders, who, in the voice of Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh, are voicing their concerns about a possible escalation of violence. The ban on establishing settlements on Palestinian land is not only due to international treaties, but also to a 1979 decision of the Israeli Supreme Court; It has greatly supported them by providing all the services that any city in the country enjoys, from water supply to electricity to education.
The formation of these settlements violates international law, in particular the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, which prohibits the transfer of civilians from an occupying power to occupied territories. For this reason, the international community sees these illegal colonies as the biggest obstacle to a possible resolution of the conflict. In response, Israel opposes this interpretation of the Geneva principles, arguing that it cannot be applied to the West Bank example, given its unoccupied, “controversial” status.
Immigration to the Palestinian territories is partly related to the religious factor, as there are sacred sites in the area, such as the tomb of Ibrahim in Hebron, but it also affects the secular component of the country, which is attracted by economic advantages. areas they have to offer. The large number of resources invested by the Israeli government in the region and the incentives for those who decide to settle there make the cost of living in the West Bank much lower than in Israel and East Jerusalem.
More than 70,000 people took to the streets yesterday in Tel Aviv to protest a controversial justice reform that would give the government control over the election of judges and exempt basic semi-constitutional laws from judicial review. The Basic Laws of Israel are the thirteen semi-constitutional laws of the State of Israel, some of which support the secular character of its institutions.
Netanyahu is accused of allowing his allies, perhaps all from the Zionist religious right, to undermine Israel’s judges, the main stronghold of secularism. One of the key forces in alleviating religious oppression has historically been the judicial system, which overrules many extremist laws and allows for more liberal interpretations of existing laws. But now all majority parties are talking about the need to significantly reduce judicial powers and prevent judicial interference.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
