Two Palestinians, Odeh Farajna (53) and Abdul Adel Rashid Abu Mukh (26), were killed in Deir Jarir, West Bank, during a settler raid for alleged stolen livestock, backed by Israeli soldiers. Residents report escalating violence and land grabs since October 7, 2023.
The Israeli embassy in Canberra publicly criticized the Australian Labor party's draft policy platform on Israel and Palestine, ahead of its national conference. The embassy claimed the draft risks blaming Israel for the Gaza conflict while giving insufficient attention to Hamas's role, an unusual intervention in domestic politics.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced a "revolution in settlement" expansion, extending illegal outposts into the Negev and Galilee. This follows the approval of 13 new West Bank settlements, considered illegal under international law, intensifying settler violence and home demolitions against Palestinians.
Palestinian families in the occupied West Bank face escalating settler violence, including land seizure, destruction of property, and displacement. Activists and locals report a state-backed campaign of ethnic cleansing, with settlers, often linked to sanctioned individuals like Neria Ben Pazi, using extra-legal force to drive out communities.
The UK, alongside Australia, France, and Norway, has imposed sanctions on seven entities involved in financing West Bank settler violence. However, the UK stopped short of a trade ban, issuing updated advice to businesses instead, drawing criticism for being "too little too late."
A coalition of Western leaders, including Australia, the UK, France, Germany, and the US, has condemned Israel's settlement expansion in the West Bank, calling it illegal and undermining stability. They urged an end to construction and accountability for settler violence.
Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have called on Israel to stop expanding settlements in the West Bank and curb settler violence, stating that Israeli government policies are fueling regional tensions and undermining the two-state solution.
European criticism of Benjamin Netanyahu's government has escalated from concern to outright condemnation, yet Brussels' words have achieved nothing due to internal disunity and reluctance to use economic leverage. The EU is Israel's biggest trading partner and provides significant academic benefits through Horizon, but has preferred persuasion over pressure. Recent developments suggest a shift: Hungary's Orbán losing power removes a key blocker, Spain is calling for suspension of the EU-Israel association agreement, and Italy has suspended defence cooperation. With a third of Israel's trade with the EU and cultural ties at stake, European governments can no longer remain passive as the US-Israel alliance pursues a regional agenda with no place for a two-state solution.
