×
Israeli parliament approves symbolic motion on West Bank annexation

Israeli parliament approves symbolic motion on West Bank annexation

World news , , , ,

Knesset lawmakers vote 71-13 in favour of annexation, raising questions about the future of a Palestinian state.

Israel’s parliament has approved a symbolic measure calling for the annexation of the occupied West Bank.

Knesset lawmakers voted 71-13 in favour of the motion on Wednesday, a non-binding vote which calls for “applying Israeli sovereignty to Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley” – the Israeli terms for the area.

It said that annexing the West Bank “will strengthen the state of Israel, its security and prevent any questioning of the fundamental right of the Jewish people to peace and security in their homeland”.

The motion, advanced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition is declarative and has no direct legal implications, though it could place the issue of annexation on the agenda of future debates in the parliament.

The idea was initially brought forward last year by Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who himself lives in an illegal Israeli settlement and holds a position within Israel’s Ministry of Defence, where he oversees the administration of the West Bank and its settlements.

The West Bank, along with the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, has been under Israeli occupation since 1967. Since then, Israeli settlements have expanded, despite being illegal under international law and, in the case of settlement outposts, Israeli law.

Palestinian leaders want all three territories for a future state. Some 3 million Palestinians and more than 500,000 Israeli settlers currently reside in the West Bank.

Annexation of the West Bank could make it impossible to create a viable Palestinian state, which is seen internationally as the most realistic way to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Last year, the Israeli parliament approved a similar symbolic motion declaring opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Hussein al-Sheikh, deputy to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, said the motion was “a direct assault on the rights of the Palestinian people”, which “undermines the prospects for peace, stability and the two-state solution”.

“These unilateral Israeli actions blatantly violate international law and the ongoing international consensus regarding the status of the Palestinian territories, including the West Bank,” he wrote in a post on X.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said in a statement that it strongly rejects any motion for annexation.

The ministry stressed that the “colonial measures” reinforce a system of apartheid in the West Bank and reflect a “blatant disregard” for many United Nations resolutions and the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which was issued in July 2024.

The statement, carried by the official Palestinian Wafa news agency, also warned that such actions deliberately undermine the prospects of implementing a two-state solution.

The ministry added that while settlement expansion continues, de facto annexation is already occurring on a daily basis.

Following Israel’s deadly war on Gaza, Israeli forces have intensified attacks on Palestinian towns and villages in the occupied West Bank, displacing thousands of Palestinians and killing hundreds. Settlers, often backed by Israeli soldiers, have also escalated assaults on Palestinians, their land, and property.

Source link
#Israeli #parliament #approves #symbolic #motion #West #Bank #annexation

Tag

Related Posts

French carmaker Renault has said it plans to reduce its number of engineers by 15 to 20% percent in the coming two years.

This means that up to 2,400 of the current 11,000 to 12,000 engineers worldwide would have to leave the company

A Renault spokesperson said the cuts would be made without forced layoffs.

The development of new technologies and fundamental design work would remain in France, he said.

Engineering centers in other countries such as Brazil, India, Morocco, Romania, South Korea, Spain and Turkey will also be reducing the number of engineering posts.

European carmakers face intense competition from China

Renault, like other European automakers, is struggling with competition from Chinese brands, especially when it comes to electric vehicles. Manufacturers in China are known for their low costs and shorter development times.

In March, Renault CEO Francois Provost announced a major restructuring, stating his intention to “compete with Chinese vehicle manufacturers in terms of innovation, cost and speed.”

Renault also plans to launch 36 new models within the next five years, slashing development time to just 24 months.

Timelines for traditional European car makers have usually been much longer.

Renault's Twingo E-Tech electric car is unveiled during a media preview presentation in France in October 2025
Renault is bringing back the compact Twingo as an electric vehicle with a low priceImage: Gonzalo Fuentes/REUTERS

Through collaboration with Chinese engineers at its research and development center in China, Renault has already been able to reduce the development time for the new Twingo to 21 months.

Edited by: Darko Janjevic

#Renault #slashes #engineer #jobs #pressure #China #firms">Renault slashes engineer jobs amid pressure from China firmsFrench carmaker Renault has said it plans to reduce its number of engineers by 15 to 20% percent in the coming two years. This means that up to 2,400 of the current 11,000 to 12,000 engineers worldwide would have to leave the company A Renault spokesperson said the cuts would be made without forced layoffs. The development of new technologies and fundamental design work would remain in France, he said. Engineering centers in other countries such as Brazil, India, Morocco, Romania, South Korea, Spain and Turkey will also be reducing the number of engineering posts. European carmakers face intense competition from China Renault, like other European automakers, is struggling with competition from Chinese brands, especially when it comes to electric vehicles. Manufacturers in China are known for their low costs and shorter development times. In March, Renault CEO Francois Provost announced a major restructuring, stating his intention to “compete with Chinese vehicle manufacturers in terms of innovation, cost and speed.” Renault also plans to launch 36 new models within the next five years, slashing development time to just 24 months. Timelines for traditional European car makers have usually been much longer.Renault is bringing back the compact Twingo as an electric vehicle with a low priceImage: Gonzalo Fuentes/REUTERS Through collaboration with Chinese engineers at its research and development center in China, Renault has already been able to reduce the development time for the new Twingo to 21 months. Edited by: Darko Janjevic #Renault #slashes #engineer #jobs #pressure #China #firms

France, he said.

Engineering centers in other countries such as Brazil, India, Morocco, Romania, South Korea, Spain and Turkey will also be reducing the number of engineering posts.

European carmakers face intense competition from China

Renault, like other European automakers, is struggling with competition from Chinese brands, especially when it comes to electric vehicles. Manufacturers in China are known for their low costs and shorter development times.

In March, Renault CEO Francois Provost announced a major restructuring, stating his intention to “compete with Chinese vehicle manufacturers in terms of innovation, cost and speed.”

Renault also plans to launch 36 new models within the next five years, slashing development time to just 24 months.

Timelines for traditional European car makers have usually been much longer.

Renault's Twingo E-Tech electric car is unveiled during a media preview presentation in France in October 2025
Renault is bringing back the compact Twingo as an electric vehicle with a low priceImage: Gonzalo Fuentes/REUTERS

Through collaboration with Chinese engineers at its research and development center in China, Renault has already been able to reduce the development time for the new Twingo to 21 months.

Edited by: Darko Janjevic

#Renault #slashes #engineer #jobs #pressure #China #firms">Renault slashes engineer jobs amid pressure from China firms

French carmaker Renault has said it plans to reduce its number of engineers by 15 to 20% percent in the coming two years.

This means that up to 2,400 of the current 11,000 to 12,000 engineers worldwide would have to leave the company

A Renault spokesperson said the cuts would be made without forced layoffs.

The development of new technologies and fundamental design work would remain in France, he said.

Engineering centers in other countries such as Brazil, India, Morocco, Romania, South Korea, Spain and Turkey will also be reducing the number of engineering posts.

European carmakers face intense competition from China

Renault, like other European automakers, is struggling with competition from Chinese brands, especially when it comes to electric vehicles. Manufacturers in China are known for their low costs and shorter development times.

In March, Renault CEO Francois Provost announced a major restructuring, stating his intention to “compete with Chinese vehicle manufacturers in terms of innovation, cost and speed.”

Renault also plans to launch 36 new models within the next five years, slashing development time to just 24 months.

Timelines for traditional European car makers have usually been much longer.

Renault's Twingo E-Tech electric car is unveiled during a media preview presentation in France in October 2025
Renault is bringing back the compact Twingo as an electric vehicle with a low priceImage: Gonzalo Fuentes/REUTERS

Through collaboration with Chinese engineers at its research and development center in China, Renault has already been able to reduce the development time for the new Twingo to 21 months.

Edited by: Darko Janjevic

#Renault #slashes #engineer #jobs #pressure #China #firms
said its blockade would apply to “all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports,” but that it would “not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.”

One ship that crossed the strait after the blockade began on Monday – the Christianna – had previously been stopped at the Iranian port of Bandar Imam Khomeini, data shows.

Another ship, the Ladonna, had been at Bandar Imam Khomeini for a week before turning on its transponder Tuesday and journeying into the Persian Gulf.

The Murlikishan, which is under U.S. sanctions over its connections to Iran, journeyed west through the strait overnight, tracking data shows, along with another tanker, the Peace Gulf, which is not sanctioned by the U.S. but made a port call in Iran in December 2025.

The Rich Starry, a tanker that is sanctioned by the United States under a different name, sailed through the strait overnight Monday, while the Elpis, another sanctioned tanker, sailed through the strait after the blockade began, having apparently come from the Iranian port of Bushehr, according to tracking data.

CBS News cannot confirm that the ships have not been broadcasting false location reports – called spoofing – to conceal their true whereabouts.

#Live #Updates #Iran #war #continues #U.S #blockade #ports #Lebanon #Israel #hold #direct #talksIran">Live Updates: Iran war continues with U.S. blockade of ports; Lebanon and Israel hold direct talks Tracking data appears to show a number of Iran-linked ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz in the hours after the U.S. blockade of the waterway began on Monday.The U.S. military said its blockade would apply to “all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports,” but that it would “not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.”One ship that crossed the strait after the blockade began on Monday – the Christianna – had previously been stopped at the Iranian port of Bandar Imam Khomeini, data shows.Another ship, the Ladonna, had been at Bandar Imam Khomeini for a week before turning on its transponder Tuesday and journeying into the Persian Gulf.The Murlikishan, which is under U.S. sanctions over its connections to Iran, journeyed west through the strait overnight, tracking data shows, along with another tanker, the Peace Gulf, which is not sanctioned by the U.S. but made a port call in Iran in December 2025.The Rich Starry, a tanker that is sanctioned by the United States under a different name, sailed through the strait overnight Monday, while the Elpis, another sanctioned tanker, sailed through the strait after the blockade began, having apparently come from the Iranian port of Bushehr, according to tracking data.CBS News cannot confirm that the ships have not been broadcasting false location reports – called spoofing – to conceal their true whereabouts. #Live #Updates #Iran #war #continues #U.S #blockade #ports #Lebanon #Israel #hold #direct #talksIran

its blockade would apply to “all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports,” but that it would “not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.”

One ship that crossed the strait after the blockade began on Monday – the Christianna – had previously been stopped at the Iranian port of Bandar Imam Khomeini, data shows.

Another ship, the Ladonna, had been at Bandar Imam Khomeini for a week before turning on its transponder Tuesday and journeying into the Persian Gulf.

The Murlikishan, which is under U.S. sanctions over its connections to Iran, journeyed west through the strait overnight, tracking data shows, along with another tanker, the Peace Gulf, which is not sanctioned by the U.S. but made a port call in Iran in December 2025.

The Rich Starry, a tanker that is sanctioned by the United States under a different name, sailed through the strait overnight Monday, while the Elpis, another sanctioned tanker, sailed through the strait after the blockade began, having apparently come from the Iranian port of Bushehr, according to tracking data.

CBS News cannot confirm that the ships have not been broadcasting false location reports – called spoofing – to conceal their true whereabouts.

#Live #Updates #Iran #war #continues #U.S #blockade #ports #Lebanon #Israel #hold #direct #talksIran">Live Updates: Iran war continues with U.S. blockade of ports; Lebanon and Israel hold direct talks

Tracking data appears to show a number of Iran-linked ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz in the hours after the U.S. blockade of the waterway began on Monday.

The U.S. military said its blockade would apply to “all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports,” but that it would “not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.”

One ship that crossed the strait after the blockade began on Monday – the Christianna – had previously been stopped at the Iranian port of Bandar Imam Khomeini, data shows.

Another ship, the Ladonna, had been at Bandar Imam Khomeini for a week before turning on its transponder Tuesday and journeying into the Persian Gulf.

The Murlikishan, which is under U.S. sanctions over its connections to Iran, journeyed west through the strait overnight, tracking data shows, along with another tanker, the Peace Gulf, which is not sanctioned by the U.S. but made a port call in Iran in December 2025.

The Rich Starry, a tanker that is sanctioned by the United States under a different name, sailed through the strait overnight Monday, while the Elpis, another sanctioned tanker, sailed through the strait after the blockade began, having apparently come from the Iranian port of Bushehr, according to tracking data.

CBS News cannot confirm that the ships have not been broadcasting false location reports – called spoofing – to conceal their true whereabouts.

#Live #Updates #Iran #war #continues #U.S #blockade #ports #Lebanon #Israel #hold #direct #talksIran

Access Denied You don’t have permission to access “http://news.sky.com/story/how-trump-is-blockading-irans-ports-and-ships-in-the-strait-of-hormuz-13531623” on this server.

Reference #18.3109c617.1776193558.1af94c34

https://errors.edgesuite.net/18.3109c617.1776193558.1af94c34

#Access #Denied">Access Denied Access Denied You don’t have permission to access “http://news.sky.com/story/how-trump-is-blockading-irans-ports-and-ships-in-the-strait-of-hormuz-13531623” on this server. Reference #18.3109c617.1776193558.1af94c34 https://errors.edgesuite.net/18.3109c617.1776193558.1af94c34 #Access #Denied

Post Comment