Displaying items by tag: West Bank

The Israeli government has announced the establishment of Nahal Heletz, the first new West Bank settlement created from scratch since 2017, near Bethlehem. Finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, who pushed for the settlement, stated it will connect Jerusalem to the Etzion settlement bloc and strengthen opposition to a Palestinian state by ‘establishing facts on the ground’. The settlement's formal approval was granted in June, alongside the retroactive legalisation of four illegal outposts. Zoning and construction permits are still required, which could take years. Peace Now, an organisation opposing settlements, says Nahal Heletz will contribute to Israel's ‘de facto annexation’ of the West Bank: ‘It will be an enclave in a Palestinian zone, and will bring about friction and security challenges.’ Meanwhile, a senior Hamas official told the BBC that it will not participate in the indirect talks on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal due to resume in Doha on 15 August.

The roots of violence, despair and hatred between Palestinians and Israelis goes deep, generated by possession of the land. The latest Israeli attack on the West Bank targeted the ‘unified command centre for the Jenin Brigade’ which has been at the heart of twelve months of escalating violence (over fifty recent attacks have come from there). Bulldozers drove through the Palestinian refugee camp which was also attacked by aircraft, reviving a tactic it halted two decades ago. Eight Palestinians were killed and one Israeli. For over a year, army raids have been linked to a series of deadly attacks by Palestinians against Israelis and rampages by Jewish settlers against Palestinian villages. Israel said it was striking terrorist infrastructure targets and armed gunmen in the Jenin camp and shared documents showing Jenin as a ‘stronghold of terrorist activity’ where half the people belong to militant groups. However, the scale of the attack on Jenin has drawn strong criticism from many sourcres.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) recruit, train and use children as fighters. It is a war crime and a human rights abuse to use children in armed conflicts. Israel is experiencing increased terrorist aggression in the West Bank, and Palestinian children are being killed. On Monday Ahmed Saqer died during a Palestinian and IDF gunbattle. Palestinian media said he was throwing rocks. Palestinian terror groups described Ahmed as a ‘fighter’. Could he have been throwing deadly munitions not rocks? On his TikTok account is a video of him posing next to a PIL flag. Another video showed a dozen pipe bombs inside his home. Regardless of what he was throwing, it was a difficult situation for Israeli forces to deal with. On Tuesday, two Palestinian teens died when an explosive device they were carrying detonated. A third person was critically wounded. There are many more incidents of children dying in battles.

Scores of Jewish settlers stormed Hawara torching vehicles and houses in a ‘revenge’ attack after two Israeli brothers were killed by a Palestinian gunman. West Bank’s safety has deteriorated with deadly attacks in Israel, leading to raids on Palestinian terror cells by Israel’s army. Israeli defence forces are being criticised for not quickly quelling Hawara’s violence, revealing stark divisions in Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government; some even encourage the settlers. Meanwhile, Netanyahu called on Israelis not to take the law into their own hands and condemned ‘anarchy.’ Many analysts say that he, the strong-minded leader, fears he is losing control of the security situation in the West Bank. This is a sensitive issue that will deepen government fissures if it goes unchecked. Jews rioting in Huwara have been rightly condemned. But why does the world tolerate Palestinian terrorism? Palestinians regularly take to the streets to celebrate the murders of Jews.

Two bishops have asked the Government to help prevent the annexation of the West Bank. Israel is preparing to annex parts from 1 July, but the Catholic bishop of Clifton and the Anglican bishop of Southwark said the annexation plans were not supported by local communities and the situation is rapidly deteriorating. ‘Annexation would only bring more conflict, suffering and division’, they said. Their comments follow strong criticism of the plans from the Archbishop of Canterbury and Cardinal Vincent Nichols. They said in letters to the Israeli ambassador and prime minister that they unambiguously support the fundamental right of Israel's citizens to live in peace and safety and ‘pray for peace and flourishing for our brothers and sisters in Christ in Israel and Palestine and all living in the Holy Land.’

Thousands of Palestinians have gathered along Israel's border for a six-week protest. The situation has escalated, and Israel has doubled its troops. Multiple deaths and hundreds wounded make this the deadliest conflict since 2014. Palestinians have long demanded their right to return to the land they claim. Gaza Strip and West Bank are some of the world's most contested lands. But take a minute to look beyond politics, land, and religion. Stop to see the millions who call this land home - people Jesus loves and died to save. Life in Gaza is dominated by conflict, war and extremist violence. In addition to viewing Israel as their oppressor, their own leadership oppresses them, but, above all, they suffer immense spiritual oppression. Yet Hope was born in the West Bank a little over 2,000 years ago. His name is Jesus. Peace is only possible through Him in some of the most contested and contentious lands on earth.