October
Controversy with Unesco
October 26th
Israel calls its ambassador to the UN agency Unesco and is considering breaking with the organization completely. This has happened since UNESCO adopted two resolutions that Israel believes are biased in favor of the Palestinians. A majority of UNESCO members criticize the archaeological excavations carried out by Israel in Jerusalem. The critics believe that the excavations aim to legitimize Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem. The resolutions refer to “occupied Palestine” and state that it is important to protect the cultural heritage of the Palestinians and the special character of East Jerusalem. The resolutions mention Temple Mount / Haram al-Sharif, which is the third holiest site of Islam but does not say that it is also a holy place for Jews, which upset Israel.
Prosecution for celebration of murder
October 26th
13 Jewish men charged with rioting after they celebrated the murders of an 18-month-old Palestinian boy and his parents in a July 2015 assassination fire. on the Palestinian family. None of them were directly involved in the attack. Two Israeli men have previously been charged with murder and assisting with murder.
Firing in Jerusalem
October 9
A Palestinian drives around by car and opens fire on civilians in various places in Jerusalem. Three people are injured, of which two later die. The Palestinian is shot to death by the police. The act raises concerns about more violence in connection with the Israeli weekends approaching and the police seize dozens of Palestinians. Before the Yom Kippur weekend, which is one of the most important Jewish holidays, the borders are closed to the West Bank and Gaza and thousands of extra police are deployed in Jerusalem. The ongoing wave of violence against Palestinian attacks on Israelis started just in connection with Yom Kippur a year ago.
US criticism of settlements
October 1st
Construction of 98 new settlement homes on the West Bank is approved by the military command. The 98 housing units are part of a plan to build 300 new houses, the settlement of Shilo, located in the middle of the West Bank. Some of the houses will be used as new homes for 40 families to be moved from the illegal settlement of Amona, which will be demolished before Christmas. The Shilo construction project triggers strong criticism from the EU and the US. An American Foreign Ministry spokesman uses unusually sharp words, saying that Israel has “betrayed confidence.”
November
France labels goods from settlements
November 25
France annoys the Israeli government by issuing rules on how to label goods from Israeli settlements. This is as far as it is known for the first time that a single EU country implements the guidelines adopted by the EU in November 2015, which states that goods from Israeli settlements in occupied territories must be origin-marked if they are to be sold in the EU. The Israeli government condemns French action and says it risks strengthening the radical forces fighting Israel, a state located in Asia continent defined by mathgeneral.
Skilled settler plans are reopened
November 23
Israel revives plans to build 500 new settlement homes in an ultra-Orthodox settlement in East Jerusalem. The plans have been on ice since 2014. More similar initiatives are waiting. The incoming US President Donald Trump has signaled a settler-friendly line, and the Jerusalem Planning Committee has announced that many frozen permits will now be released.
December
The Security Council requires a stop for settlements
December 23
The United States casts its vote in the UN Security Council, and thus a resolution is adopted demanding that Israel immediately cease all settlement activity on occupied Palestinian land. The resolution that applies to both the West Bank and East Jerusalem is adopted by 14 of the Council’s 15 members. This is the first time in over 35 years that the Security Council has adopted a resolution that strongly condemns Israel’s settlement policy. Previous attempts have fallen on the US veto. According to the resolution, Israel’s settlement policy threatens the so-called two-state solution, which requires the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. The resolution also calls on UN member states to make a distinction in their dealings with Israel on the territory covered by the State of Israel and the territory occupied by Israel in 1967. The US passing the resolution triggers anger among Israeli politicians and settlers while Palestinians applaud. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel has no intention of following the resolution. Israel also states that the country intends to reduce its relations with the countries that voted for the resolution. Donald Trump criticizes the US Security Council’s actions and says it will change as he takes office. The resolution does not recommend sanctions if Israel does not obey, but it is assumed to weigh heavily on the prosecutors of the International Criminal Court (ICC) which is currently considering whether to open an investigation to investigate whether Israel has committed war crimes in the occupied territories. According to an article in the Treaty of Rome (which forms the basis of the Court’s work), it is a crime of war when an occupying power moves parts of its civilian population to the occupied area. Thus, the resolution for prosecution paves the way for those responsible for housing policy. The resolution also raises the back of the countries that are considering a boycott of products from the settlements.
“Israel bombed air base in Syria”
December 7
Syrian media reports that Israel fired an air base outside Damascus with missiles. This is the second time in eight days that Israel has been accused of attacking targets outside Damascus. The Israeli government does not comment on the incident. Israel has kept a low profile during the war in Syria but has on several occasions carried out raids to prevent the advanced weapons ports of the Lebanese militia Hezbollah as Israel fought a war in 2006. Hezbollah is now fighting on the government’s side in the war in Syria. (7/12)
