Israel has started building at least 544 apartments since a 10-month building freeze expired late last month. In a statement, UN envoy Robert Serry called the construction activity “alarming.”
An Israeli military court sentenced non-violent protest organizer Abdallah Abu Rahmah of the West Bank’s Bil’in village to 12 months imprisonment, with a six-month suspended sentence.
The Israeli cabinet approved an amendment to the country’s citizenship law that would require those seeking citizenship to pledge allegiance to Israel as a “Jewish and democratic state.”
Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman prompted the Palestinian mission to walk out of the UN General Assembly by calling for an “exchange of populated territory” on the West Bank.
Israeli commandos intercepted a boat carrying Jewish activists who hoped to breach the blockade of the Gaza Strip, using a Taser gun against well-known refusenik Yonatan Shapira.
Human Rights Watch called on Israel to make permanent and total the partial “freeze” on construction in West Bank settlements, asserting that continued construction would have severe consequences.
Several thousand Israeli settlers and supporters celebrated to mark the end to a 10-month moratorium on new construction in their West Bank enclaves—as deadly unrest rocked Jerusalem.
The US joined with other Quartet members in calling for Israel to extend the settlement freeze, but brought pressure to defeat a resolution demanding Israel join the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Israel’s interception of a Gaza-bound flotilla violated international law, according to a report released by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
The UN panel tasked with assessing investigations into the 2008-2009 Gaza Strip conflict issued a report criticizing the investigations carried out by both Israel and Hamas.
Before Hamas resumed armed attacks this week, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced plans to “hermetically seal” the Gaza Strip—to little media attention.
Hamas claimed credit for killing four Israeli settlers near Hebron, as Israel’s right-wing Shas party—which opposes any settlement freeze—said that Hamas terror would sabotage the peace process.
