Israel indicted a 16-year-old Palestinian girl on Monday on charges including assault for punching an Israeli soldier in the face two weeks ago, an incident which made her into a hero for Palestinians and was seen as humiliating by right-wing Israelis.

Israel has held Ahed Tamimi since arresting her three days after she was filmed punching the soldier at the entrance to her family home in a village in the occupied West Bank. The confrontation took place after what Israel says was a stone-throwing assault on its troops.

The case has made her into such a symbol for Palestinians that a commentator in Israeli left-wing newspaper Haaretz said Israel risked turning her into the &quot;Palestinian Joan of Arc&quot;.

Right-wing Israelis, meanwhile, have debated whether the soldier had appeared weak by opting not to strike back. The Israeli army said he &quot;acted professionally&quot; by showing restraint.

The charge sheet against Tamimi, seen by Reuters, included counts of aggravated assault against a soldier, who the army said was bruised on his brow by her punch, obstructing a soldier in the performance of his duty and throwing stones at troops.

&quot;Tamimi threw stones at them (the soldiers), threatened them, obstructed them in fulfilling their duty, took part in riots and incited others to take part in them,&quot; the military said on its public affairs Twitter account.

Tamimi&#39;s lawyer, Gaby Lasky, said she was certain some of the charges would eventually be dismissed, but nonetheless prosecutors may seek the maximum penalty for other counts.

&quot;I am sure they want to keep her as long as possible because they don&#39;t want the voice of resistance outside prison,&quot; Lasky told Reuters at the military courtroom in Ofer prison near the Palestinian city of Ramallah.

Tamimi was not asked to enter a plea at this stage. The military court gave her lawyer more time to study the charges.

An adult found guilty of assaulting a soldier could be jailed for up to 10 years, but such an outcome would be unlikely for Tamimi as a minor.

The incident occurred at the entrance to Tamimi&rsquo;s family home in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, where weekly protests against Israeli settlement policy have been held for years. Tamimi&#39;s father is a prominent Palestinian activist.

Tamimi made news two years ago when she was pictured biting a soldier who tried to arrest her younger brother. In 2012 she was presented with an award in Turkey and met its president, Tayyip Erdogan, after images of her confronting an Israeli soldier went viral.

Israel indicted a 16-year-old Palestinian girl on Monday on charges including assault for punching an Israeli soldier in the face two weeks ago, an incident which made her into a hero for Palestinians and was seen as humiliating by right-wing Israelis

Israel indicted a 16-year-old Palestinian girl on Monday on charges including assault for punching an Israeli soldier in the face two weeks ago, an incident which made her into a hero for Palestinians and was seen as humiliating by right-wing Israelis. Israel has held Ahed Tamimi since arresting her three days after she was filmed punching the soldier at the entrance to her family home in a village in the occupied West Bank. The confrontation took place after what Israel says was a stone-throwing assault on its troops. The case has made her into such a symbol for Palestinians that a commentator in Israeli left-wing newspaper Haaretz said Israel risked turning her into the "Palestinian Joan of Arc". Right-wing Israelis, meanwhile, have debated whether the soldier had appeared weak by opting not to strike back. The Israeli army said he "acted professionally" by showing restraint. The charge sheet against Tamimi, seen by Reuters, included counts of aggravated assault against a soldier, who the army said was bruised on his brow by her punch, obstructing a soldier in the performance of his duty and throwing stones at troops. "Tamimi threw stones at them (the soldiers), threatened them, obstructed them in fulfilling their duty, took part in riots and incited others to take part in them," the military said on its public affairs Twitter account. Tamimi's lawyer, Gaby Lasky, said she was certain some of the charges would eventually be dismissed, but nonetheless prosecutors may seek the maximum penalty for other counts. "I am sure they want to keep her as long as possible because they don't want the voice of resistance outside prison," Lasky told Reuters at the military courtroom in Ofer prison near the Palestinian city of Ramallah. Tamimi was not asked to enter a plea at this stage. The military court gave her lawyer more time to study the charges. An adult found guilty of assaulting a soldier could be jailed for up to 10 years, but such an outcome would be unlikely for Tamimi as a minor. The incident occurred at the entrance to Tamimi’s family home in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, where weekly protests against Israeli settlement policy have been held for years. Tamimi's father is a prominent Palestinian activist. Tamimi made news two years ago when she was pictured biting a soldier who tried to arrest her younger brother. In 2012 she was presented with an award in Turkey and met its president, Tayyip Erdogan, after images of her confronting an Israeli soldier went viral.

Israel indicts Palestinian teenage girl who punched soldier: Army

Israel has so far this year advanced its highest number of settlement projects since 1992, the defence minister said Sunday, despite warnings such plans will further cloud chances of a two-state solution.

Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman made the comments as Israel`s government faced mounting pressure from leaders of the settlement movement, who wield heavy influence in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu`s right-wing coalition.

Netanyahu has found himself seeking to balance the competing demands of the settlers and US President Donald Trump, who has asked him to hold back on such projects for now as he seeks a way to restart peace talks with the Palestinians.

Lieberman told journalists and ministers at the start of a cabinet meeting that, so far this year, plans had been advanced for 8,345 homes in the occupied West Bank, including 3,066 slated for &quot;immediate construction&quot;.

Settlement projects pass through a list of planning stages before final approval.

&quot;The numbers for the first half of 2017 are the highest since 1992,&quot; Lieberman said.

The figures were similar to those published by settlement watchdog Peace Now last week.

Counting plans and tenders, Peace Now said 7,721 units had been advanced this year, almost triple the number for all of 2016, which amounted to 2,699.

Peace Now could not immediately say whether it agreed that this year`s figures were the highest since 1992.

Last week alone, Israel advanced plans for more than 3,000 settlement homes.

While the majority of those are for pre-existing homes, some will be built in the first new official settlement in some 25 years, Peace Now said.

Last month, Trump visited Israel and the Palestinian territories, meeting both Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas as he seeks what he calls the &quot;ultimate deal&quot;.

But he has given no details about how he plans to restart talks, and there is deep scepticism over whether such an effort would have any chance of success.

Settlements are seen as illegal under international law and major stumbling blocks to peace as they are built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state.

Some 600,000 Israeli settlers now live in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, alongside around 2.9 million Palestinians.

Netanyahu has said he still supports a two-state solution, but peace advocates say his actions show otherwise.

Last week, the premier told settlers he would keep building across the West Bank.

(AFP)

The number of settlement units that have come up in the first half of 2017 are the highest since 1992, according to the Israeli government

Israel has so far this year advanced its highest number of settlement projects since 1992, the defence minister said Sunday, despite warnings such plans will further cloud chances of a two-state solution. Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman made the comments as Israel`s government faced mounting pressure from leaders of the settlement movement, who wield heavy influence in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu`s right-wing coalition. Netanyahu has found himself seeking to balance the competing demands of the settlers and US President Donald Trump, who has asked him to hold back on such projects for now as he seeks a way to restart peace talks with the Palestinians. Lieberman told journalists and ministers at the start of a cabinet meeting that, so far this year, plans had been advanced for 8,345 homes in the occupied West Bank, including 3,066 slated for "immediate construction". Settlement projects pass through a list of planning stages before final approval. "The numbers for the first half of 2017 are the highest since 1992," Lieberman said. The figures were similar to those published by settlement watchdog Peace Now last week. Counting plans and tenders, Peace Now said 7,721 units had been advanced this year, almost triple the number for all of 2016, which amounted to 2,699. Peace Now could not immediately say whether it agreed that this year`s figures were the highest since 1992. Last week alone, Israel advanced plans for more than 3,000 settlement homes. While the majority of those are for pre-existing homes, some will be built in the first new official settlement in some 25 years, Peace Now said. Last month, Trump visited Israel and the Palestinian territories, meeting both Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas as he seeks what he calls the "ultimate deal". But he has given no details about how he plans to restart talks, and there is deep scepticism over whether such an effort would have any chance of success. Settlements are seen as illegal under international law and major stumbling blocks to peace as they are built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state. Some 600,000 Israeli settlers now live in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, alongside around 2.9 million Palestinians. Netanyahu has said he still supports a two-state solution, but peace advocates say his actions show otherwise. Last week, the premier told settlers he would keep building across the West Bank. (AFP)

Israel's accelerated settlement homes policy roils Palestine peace hopes

President Donald Trump vowed on Wednesday to work to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians as he hosted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House but offered no clues about how he could break the deadlock and revive long-stalled negotiations.

In their first face-to-face meeting, Trump pressed Palestinian leaders to &ldquo;speak in a unified voice against incitement&rdquo; to violence against Israelis but he stopped short of explicitly recommitting his administration to a two-state solution to the decades-old conflict, a longstanding bedrock of US policy.

&quot;We will get this done,&rdquo; Trump told Abbas during a joint appearance at the White House, saying he was prepared to act a mediator, facilitator or arbitrator between the two sides.

Abbas quickly reasserted the goal of a Palestinian state as vital to any rejuvenated peace process, reiterating that it must have its capital in Jerusalem with borders based on pre-1967 lines. Israel rejects a full return to 1967 borders as a threat to its security.

Trump faced deep skepticism at home and abroad over his chances for a breakthrough with Abbas, not least because the new U.S. administration has yet to articulate a cohesive strategy for restarting the moribund peace process.

Abbas&rsquo; White House talks follow a mid-February visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who moved quickly to reset ties after a frequently combative relationship with the Republican president&#39;s predecessor, Democratic President Barack Obama.

Trump sparked international criticism at the time when he appeared to back away from support for a two-state solution, saying he would leave it up to the parties themselves to decide. The goal of a Palestinian state living peacefully beside Israel has been the position of successive US&nbsp;administrations and the international community

The meeting with Abbas, the Western-backed head of the Palestinian Authority, was another test of whether Trump, in office a little more than 100 days, is serious about pursuing what he has called the &ldquo;ultimate deal&rdquo; of Israeli-Palestinian peace that eluded his predecessors.

&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve always heard that perhaps the toughest deal to make is between the Israelis and the Palestinian,&rdquo; Trump said on Wednesday. &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s see if we can prove them wrong.&rdquo;

But he offered no new policy prescriptions.

Low Expectations

Abbas, speaking through a translator, told Trump that under &ldquo;your courageous stewardship and your wisdom, as well as your great negotiations ability,&rdquo; the Palestinians would be partners seeking a &ldquo;historic peace treaty.&rdquo;

The last round of U.S.-brokered peace talks collapsed in 2014.

Abbas said, &ldquo;it&rsquo;s about time for Israel to end its occupation of our people and our land&rdquo; - a reference to Jewish settlement building in the West Bank. Reaffirming his commitment to a two-state solution, he called on Israel to recognize Palestinian statehood just as Palestinians recognize the state of Israel.

Though expectations are low for significant progress, plans are being firmed up for Trump to visit the right-wing Israeli leader in Jerusalem and possibly Abbas in the West Bank, targeted for May 22-23, according to people familiar with the matter. U.S. and Israeli officials have declined to confirm the visit.

Questions have been raised about Trump&rsquo;s choice of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who entered the White House with no government experience, to oversee Middle East peace efforts, along with Trump&rsquo;s longtime business lawyer, Jason Greenblatt, as on-the-ground envoy.

The administration seeks to enlist Israel&#39;s Sunni Arab neighbors, who share Israeli concerns about Shi&#39;ite Iran, to help rejuvenate Middle East peacemaking.

Abbas, who governs in the West Bank while Hamas militants rule Gaza, was under pressure at home to avoid making major concessions to Trump, especially with an ongoing hunger strike by hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Palestinian officials say it will be hard for Abbas to return to the negotiating table without a long-standing pre-condition of a freeze on Jewish settlement expansion on land Israel occupied in 1967 which Palestinians want for a state.

Trump&rsquo;s pro-Israel rhetoric during the 2016 election campaign raised concern among Palestinians about whether their leaders will get a fair hearing.

Trump&rsquo;s promise to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, strongly opposed by Palestinians, has been shifted to the back burner, and he has asked Netanyahu to put unspecified limits on settlement activity. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

The US president, however, offered no clues about how he could break the deadlock and revive long-stalled negotiations

President Donald Trump vowed on Wednesday to work to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians as he hosted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House but offered no clues about how he could break the deadlock and revive long-stalled negotiations. In their first face-to-face meeting, Trump pressed Palestinian leaders to “speak in a unified voice against incitement” to violence against Israelis but he stopped short of explicitly recommitting his administration to a two-state solution to the decades-old conflict, a longstanding bedrock of US policy. "We will get this done,” Trump told Abbas during a joint appearance at the White House, saying he was prepared to act a mediator, facilitator or arbitrator between the two sides. Abbas quickly reasserted the goal of a Palestinian state as vital to any rejuvenated peace process, reiterating that it must have its capital in Jerusalem with borders based on pre-1967 lines. Israel rejects a full return to 1967 borders as a threat to its security. Trump faced deep skepticism at home and abroad over his chances for a breakthrough with Abbas, not least because the new U.S. administration has yet to articulate a cohesive strategy for restarting the moribund peace process. Abbas’ White House talks follow a mid-February visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who moved quickly to reset ties after a frequently combative relationship with the Republican president's predecessor, Democratic President Barack Obama. Trump sparked international criticism at the time when he appeared to back away from support for a two-state solution, saying he would leave it up to the parties themselves to decide. The goal of a Palestinian state living peacefully beside Israel has been the position of successive US administrations and the international community The meeting with Abbas, the Western-backed head of the Palestinian Authority, was another test of whether Trump, in office a little more than 100 days, is serious about pursuing what he has called the “ultimate deal” of Israeli-Palestinian peace that eluded his predecessors. “I’ve always heard that perhaps the toughest deal to make is between the Israelis and the Palestinian,” Trump said on Wednesday. “Let’s see if we can prove them wrong.” But he offered no new policy prescriptions. Low Expectations Abbas, speaking through a translator, told Trump that under “your courageous stewardship and your wisdom, as well as your great negotiations ability,” the Palestinians would be partners seeking a “historic peace treaty.” The last round of U.S.-brokered peace talks collapsed in 2014. Abbas said, “it’s about time for Israel to end its occupation of our people and our land” - a reference to Jewish settlement building in the West Bank. Reaffirming his commitment to a two-state solution, he called on Israel to recognize Palestinian statehood just as Palestinians recognize the state of Israel. Though expectations are low for significant progress, plans are being firmed up for Trump to visit the right-wing Israeli leader in Jerusalem and possibly Abbas in the West Bank, targeted for May 22-23, according to people familiar with the matter. U.S. and Israeli officials have declined to confirm the visit. Questions have been raised about Trump’s choice of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who entered the White House with no government experience, to oversee Middle East peace efforts, along with Trump’s longtime business lawyer, Jason Greenblatt, as on-the-ground envoy. The administration seeks to enlist Israel's Sunni Arab neighbors, who share Israeli concerns about Shi'ite Iran, to help rejuvenate Middle East peacemaking. Abbas, who governs in the West Bank while Hamas militants rule Gaza, was under pressure at home to avoid making major concessions to Trump, especially with an ongoing hunger strike by hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Palestinian officials say it will be hard for Abbas to return to the negotiating table without a long-standing pre-condition of a freeze on Jewish settlement expansion on land Israel occupied in 1967 which Palestinians want for a state. Trump’s pro-Israel rhetoric during the 2016 election campaign raised concern among Palestinians about whether their leaders will get a fair hearing. Trump’s promise to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, strongly opposed by Palestinians, has been shifted to the back burner, and he has asked Netanyahu to put unspecified limits on settlement activity. (Reuters)

In first meeting with Mahmoud Abbas, Trump vows to broker Israeli-Palestinian peace

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says US President Donald Trump has assured him of his commitment to Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts.

Abbas today spoke about what he described as a constructive phone call with Trump two days earlier. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA quoted Abbas as saying that Trump &quot;asserted his full commitment to the peace process.&quot;

Abbas says he told Trump he opposes extremism and will cooperate with the US to reach a peace deal based on the establishment of a Palestinian state next to Israel.

The phone call helped allay concerns the Palestinians were being ignored by Trump, who has embraced Israel&#39;s leader and at one point suggested the two-state solution was optional. 
 
Abbas says he is to meet Trump at the White House in &quot;the near future.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
(PTI) 
&nbsp;

Mahmoud Abbas told Trump he will cooperate with the US to reach a peace deal based on establishing a Palestinian state next to Israel

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says US President Donald Trump has assured him of his commitment to Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. Abbas today spoke about what he described as a constructive phone call with Trump two days earlier. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA quoted Abbas as saying that Trump "asserted his full commitment to the peace process." Abbas says he told Trump he opposes extremism and will cooperate with the US to reach a peace deal based on the establishment of a Palestinian state next to Israel. The phone call helped allay concerns the Palestinians were being ignored by Trump, who has embraced Israel's leader and at one point suggested the two-state solution was optional. Abbas says he is to meet Trump at the White House in "the near future." (PTI)

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas says Trump committed to Mideast peace process

A new Israeli law legalizing dozens of Jewish settler outposts in the Palestinian West Bank is in violation of international law, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday.

Guterres said he &quot;deeply regrets&quot; the adoption of the bill which many governments worldwide see as the latest bid to erode the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

&quot;This bill is in contravention of international law and will have far reaching legal consequences for Israel,&quot; Guterres said in a statement.

The UN chief again stressed the need to avoid &quot;any actions that would derail the two-state solution&quot; and said such issues must be resolved through negotiations.

Settlements in both the West Bank and east Jerusalem are viewed as illegal under international law and major stumbling blocks to peace as they are built on land the Palestinians want for their own state.

The new law passed by the Israeli parliament late Monday allows the appropriation of private Palestinian land for Jewish settler outposts, a move the Palestinians said was a means to &quot;legalise theft&quot;.

Guterres joined an international outcry over the parliament&#39;s decision, but the new US administration of President Donald Trump has refused to comment.

The law is expected to be challenged in court, with some Israeli officials expecting it to be struck down by the Supreme Court.

It would protect settlers against eviction from outposts discovered to have been built on private Palestinian lands.

Palestinian owners will be compensated financially or with other land.

It would apply to around 53 outposts as well as some houses within existing settlements, potentially legalizing more than 3,800 homes, according to anti-settlement NGO Peace Now.

The UN Security Council will discuss the dispute over Israeli settlements during a meeting on February 15.

(AFP)

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he 'deeply regrets' the legislation that risks rupturing the peace process in the region

A new Israeli law legalizing dozens of Jewish settler outposts in the Palestinian West Bank is in violation of international law, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday. Guterres said he "deeply regrets" the adoption of the bill which many governments worldwide see as the latest bid to erode the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "This bill is in contravention of international law and will have far reaching legal consequences for Israel," Guterres said in a statement. The UN chief again stressed the need to avoid "any actions that would derail the two-state solution" and said such issues must be resolved through negotiations. Settlements in both the West Bank and east Jerusalem are viewed as illegal under international law and major stumbling blocks to peace as they are built on land the Palestinians want for their own state. The new law passed by the Israeli parliament late Monday allows the appropriation of private Palestinian land for Jewish settler outposts, a move the Palestinians said was a means to "legalise theft". Guterres joined an international outcry over the parliament's decision, but the new US administration of President Donald Trump has refused to comment. The law is expected to be challenged in court, with some Israeli officials expecting it to be struck down by the Supreme Court. It would protect settlers against eviction from outposts discovered to have been built on private Palestinian lands. Palestinian owners will be compensated financially or with other land. It would apply to around 53 outposts as well as some houses within existing settlements, potentially legalizing more than 3,800 homes, according to anti-settlement NGO Peace Now. The UN Security Council will discuss the dispute over Israeli settlements during a meeting on February 15. (AFP)

New Israeli settler outposts in West Bank violates international law: UN

Israel&#39;s parliament has finalised a controversial law that will legalise Jewish houses built on West Bank, a tract of land belonging to Palestine, a move that endangers possibility of peace in the area.

The bill, if approved by the supreme court, will legalise more than 3,800 homes that are already built there.

Far-right Jewish Home&#39;s&nbsp;Bezalel Smotrich, who was frontlining the need for the legislation of Jewish outposts on Palestinian land, thanked the United States and the Donald Trump administration for putting their weight behind their cause.

Unlike previous US governments, the current administration had said new settlements would not hinder the peace process in the region.

Emboldened by Trump&#39;s victory last year, Israel has announced more than 6,000 new homes in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, a development that has raised the hackles among the Palestinians.

On Monday, the new law was passed by 60 members of parliament to 52 against.

But there are detractors of the new legislation, with the opposition leader and Labour chief&nbsp;Isaac Herzog dubbing it as a &quot;despicable law&quot; and against &quot;Israel&#39;s interests&quot;.

The UN also weighed in on the subject, fearing that the new law would scythe any prospetcs of settling the decades-long conflagration&nbsp;in the region.

However, the bill could still be struck down by the country&#39;s top court. Israel&#39;s defence minister&nbsp;Avigdor Lieberman said the chance of it being scrapped by the country&#39;s supreme court was &quot;100 percent.&quot;

Its defenders argue the bill will allow settlers to live without fear of being driven from their homes -- many of which they have lived in for years.

Last week, the few hundred residents of the Amona outpost in the West Bank were evicted after the Supreme Court ruled their homes were built on private Palestinian land.

The lengthy Amona saga -- including the evictions broadcast live on Israeli television -- directly inspired the bill.

Demolitions and removal of the buildings there began on Monday.

The new law will allow Israel to legally seize Palestinian private land on which Israelis built without knowing it was private property or because the state allowed them to do so.

Palestinian owners will be compensated financially or with other land.

Palestinian reaction

The Palestine Liberation Organisation slammed the new legislation, saying: &quot;The Israeli government&rsquo;s will to destroy any chances for a political solution.&quot;

The PLO further said in a statement, stressing that the &quot;Israeli&nbsp;settlement&nbsp;enterprise negates peace and the possibility of the two-state solution.&quot;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

The controversial law has split the country, with some calling it a victory while detractors dubbing it as 'despicable'

Israel's parliament has finalised a controversial law that will legalise Jewish houses built on West Bank, a tract of land belonging to Palestine, a move that endangers possibility of peace in the area. The bill, if approved by the supreme court, will legalise more than 3,800 homes that are already built there. Far-right Jewish Home's Bezalel Smotrich, who was frontlining the need for the legislation of Jewish outposts on Palestinian land, thanked the United States and the Donald Trump administration for putting their weight behind their cause. Unlike previous US governments, the current administration had said new settlements would not hinder the peace process in the region. Emboldened by Trump's victory last year, Israel has announced more than 6,000 new homes in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, a development that has raised the hackles among the Palestinians. On Monday, the new law was passed by 60 members of parliament to 52 against. But there are detractors of the new legislation, with the opposition leader and Labour chief Isaac Herzog dubbing it as a "despicable law" and against "Israel's interests". The UN also weighed in on the subject, fearing that the new law would scythe any prospetcs of settling the decades-long conflagration in the region. However, the bill could still be struck down by the country's top court. Israel's defence minister Avigdor Lieberman said the chance of it being scrapped by the country's supreme court was "100 percent." Its defenders argue the bill will allow settlers to live without fear of being driven from their homes -- many of which they have lived in for years. Last week, the few hundred residents of the Amona outpost in the West Bank were evicted after the Supreme Court ruled their homes were built on private Palestinian land. The lengthy Amona saga -- including the evictions broadcast live on Israeli television -- directly inspired the bill. Demolitions and removal of the buildings there began on Monday. The new law will allow Israel to legally seize Palestinian private land on which Israelis built without knowing it was private property or because the state allowed them to do so. Palestinian owners will be compensated financially or with other land. Palestinian reaction The Palestine Liberation Organisation slammed the new legislation, saying: "The Israeli government’s will to destroy any chances for a political solution." The PLO further said in a statement, stressing that the "Israeli settlement enterprise negates peace and the possibility of the two-state solution." (WION with inputs from AFP)

Israel approves settler outposts on Palestinian land

Israeli police began evicting dozens of hardline Jewish settlers from a wildcat outpost on Wednesday, just hours after unveiling plans for 3,000 new homes in other West Bank settlements.

Hundreds of officers marched into the Amona outpost near Ramallah to carry out the evictions ordered by the High Court after it determined the homes were built on private Palestinian land.

It marked the end of months of attempts by government hardliners to legalise the outpost, and the announcement of the new homes elsewhere in the occupied Palestinian territory was widely seen as a sop to their supporters.

There had been fears of violence after hundreds of hardline sympathisers of the settlers slipped past army roadblocks on foot and lit tyres around the outpost.

Some threw stones at the media as residents started packing their belongings, an AFP correspondent reported.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP there were around 3,000 officers in and around Amona to move the 42 families, &quot;and hopefully people will evacuate the area peacefully and quietly.&quot;

He estimated that another 600 people who were not from the outpost had arrived for the eviction.

&quot;We&#39;re hoping that things will go relatively calmly and quietly. We&#39;re ready to respond if necessary to any violence,&quot; he said.

Youth confronted the forces with chants such as &quot;How will you feel tomorrow after you evacuate a Jew from his home?&quot; and &quot;Today it&#39;s me, tomorrow it will be you,&quot; as police began evacuating them from the area.

Earlier, some women holding children left their homes, as youths barricaded themselves inside.

Teenage girls wrote slogans about their right to the land of Israel on the walls of the caravan homes, soon to be demolished.

Protesters said that they would not leave willingly but that they would not resort to violence against the police.

&quot;We won&#39;t be going, they&#39;ll have to take us,&quot; Amona resident Rivka Lafair, 19, told AFP.

Far-right lawmaker Moti Yogev, whose Jewish Home party is part of Israel&#39;s governing coalition, joined the settlers in a show of solidarity.

He told AFP that the demolition of the outpost was &quot;a bad decision&quot; but that the new homes announced by the defence ministry late on Tuesday were some compensation.

&quot;Yes, Amona will be destroyed, but against Amona we are going to build 3,000 new homes,&quot; he said.

The former US administration of Barack Obama despaired of Israel&#39;s accelerating settlement expansion which it regarded as the biggest obstacle to Middle East peace.

&#39;New era&#39;&nbsp;

But since Donald Trump took office with top aides sympathetic to the settlement enterprise, the government has announced a string of new projects that will add more than 6,000 homes for Jewish settlers.

According to the defence ministry&#39;s statement, 2,000 of the latest new homes are ready to be put on the market, while the rest are in various stages of planning.

&quot;We&#39;re in a new era where life in Judaea and Samaria (the West Bank) is returning to its natural course,&quot; said Defence Minister Avidor Lieberman, who has himself long lived in a West Bank settlement.

Speaking at West Bank city Ariel on Wednesday, Lieberman said his heart was with the Amona settlers, but stressed their protest must &quot;remain within the law.&quot;

Since the January 20 inauguration of Trump, Israel has approved the construction of 566 housing units in three settlement neighbourhoods of annexed east Jerusalem and 5,502 more elsewhere in the West Bank.

On Thursday last week, Israeli officials gave final approval for 153 settler homes in east Jerusalem.&nbsp;

They had been frozen under pressure from the Obama administration, which had warned that settlements could derail hopes of a negotiated two-state solution.

Trump has pledged strong support for Israel, and Netanyahu&#39;s government has moved quickly to take advantage.

&quot;We are building and we will continue building,&quot; Netanyahu said last week.

The prime minister has said he sees the Trump presidency as offering &quot;significant opportunities&quot; after facing &quot;huge pressures&quot; from Obama.

The accelerated settlement expansion has deeply concerned those seeking to salvage a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The international community considers all Jewish settlements on occupied Palestinian land as illegal and regards their construction as the biggest obstacle to a peaceful settlement of the conflict.

But in a significant break with the Obama administration, Trump&#39;s White House has not condemned any of the four settlement expansions announced by Israel since he took office.

Israel's High Court ruled the settlers had been living illegally on privately-owned Palestinian land.

Israeli police began evicting dozens of hardline Jewish settlers from a wildcat outpost on Wednesday, just hours after unveiling plans for 3,000 new homes in other West Bank settlements. Hundreds of officers marched into the Amona outpost near Ramallah to carry out the evictions ordered by the High Court after it determined the homes were built on private Palestinian land. It marked the end of months of attempts by government hardliners to legalise the outpost, and the announcement of the new homes elsewhere in the occupied Palestinian territory was widely seen as a sop to their supporters. There had been fears of violence after hundreds of hardline sympathisers of the settlers slipped past army roadblocks on foot and lit tyres around the outpost. Some threw stones at the media as residents started packing their belongings, an AFP correspondent reported. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP there were around 3,000 officers in and around Amona to move the 42 families, "and hopefully people will evacuate the area peacefully and quietly." He estimated that another 600 people who were not from the outpost had arrived for the eviction. "We're hoping that things will go relatively calmly and quietly. We're ready to respond if necessary to any violence," he said. Youth confronted the forces with chants such as "How will you feel tomorrow after you evacuate a Jew from his home?" and "Today it's me, tomorrow it will be you," as police began evacuating them from the area. Earlier, some women holding children left their homes, as youths barricaded themselves inside. Teenage girls wrote slogans about their right to the land of Israel on the walls of the caravan homes, soon to be demolished. Protesters said that they would not leave willingly but that they would not resort to violence against the police. "We won't be going, they'll have to take us," Amona resident Rivka Lafair, 19, told AFP. Far-right lawmaker Moti Yogev, whose Jewish Home party is part of Israel's governing coalition, joined the settlers in a show of solidarity. He told AFP that the demolition of the outpost was "a bad decision" but that the new homes announced by the defence ministry late on Tuesday were some compensation. "Yes, Amona will be destroyed, but against Amona we are going to build 3,000 new homes," he said. The former US administration of Barack Obama despaired of Israel's accelerating settlement expansion which it regarded as the biggest obstacle to Middle East peace. 'New era' But since Donald Trump took office with top aides sympathetic to the settlement enterprise, the government has announced a string of new projects that will add more than 6,000 homes for Jewish settlers. According to the defence ministry's statement, 2,000 of the latest new homes are ready to be put on the market, while the rest are in various stages of planning. "We're in a new era where life in Judaea and Samaria (the West Bank) is returning to its natural course," said Defence Minister Avidor Lieberman, who has himself long lived in a West Bank settlement. Speaking at West Bank city Ariel on Wednesday, Lieberman said his heart was with the Amona settlers, but stressed their protest must "remain within the law." Since the January 20 inauguration of Trump, Israel has approved the construction of 566 housing units in three settlement neighbourhoods of annexed east Jerusalem and 5,502 more elsewhere in the West Bank. On Thursday last week, Israeli officials gave final approval for 153 settler homes in east Jerusalem. They had been frozen under pressure from the Obama administration, which had warned that settlements could derail hopes of a negotiated two-state solution. Trump has pledged strong support for Israel, and Netanyahu's government has moved quickly to take advantage. "We are building and we will continue building," Netanyahu said last week. The prime minister has said he sees the Trump presidency as offering "significant opportunities" after facing "huge pressures" from Obama. The accelerated settlement expansion has deeply concerned those seeking to salvage a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The international community considers all Jewish settlements on occupied Palestinian land as illegal and regards their construction as the biggest obstacle to a peaceful settlement of the conflict. But in a significant break with the Obama administration, Trump's White House has not condemned any of the four settlement expansions announced by Israel since he took office.

Israel announces 3,000 new homes in West bank, evicts Jewish settlers from illegal outpost

US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday that the only way to secure a lasting peace between Israel and Palestinians is to negotiate a two-state solution to their conflict.

&quot;Today, there are a similar number of Jews and Palestinians living between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. They have a choice. They can choose to live together in one state, or they can separate into two states,&quot; he told an audience of diplomats in Washington.

&quot;But here is a fundamental reality: if the choice is one state, Israel can either be Jewish or democratic -&ndash; it cannot be both -&ndash;and it won&#39;t ever really be at peace.&quot;

Kerry was explaining the US witholding its UN Security Council veto in the 14-0 vote that called for a halt to Israeli settlement building in the occupied territories.&nbsp;

&quot;The vote in the UN was about preserving the two-state solution.

&quot;That&#39;s what we were standing up for: Israel&#39;s future as a Jewish and democratic state, living side by side in peace and security with its neighbors,&quot; he said.

The US secretary of state explained the US vision for a solution to the conflict and warned Israel was on a course leading to a &quot;perpetual occupation&quot; of Palestinian-owned land.

&quot;The two-state solution is the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians,&quot; Kerry said, but warned that solution was in &quot;serious jeopardy.&quot;

&nbsp;He also warned that Israel&#39;s &quot;settler agenda&quot; was determining its policy in the West Bank and imperiling peace with the Palestinians.

&quot;The settler agenda is defining the future in Israel. And their stated purpose is clear: They believe in one state: greater Israel.&quot; 
 
However, it is not clear whether the obama administration&#39;s roadmap for a solution to the conflict will taken forward by US President-elect Donald Trump. 
 
Trump made his pro-Israel stand clear on Twitter on Wednesday morning ahead of Kerry&#39;s speech, saying the US could not continue to treat Israel with &quot;such total disdain and disrespect.&quot;&nbsp;He promised Israel he would improve ties between the two nations after taking charge on January 20.

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We cannot continue to let Israel be treated with such total disdain and disrespect. They used to have a great friend in the U.S., but.......
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/814113616110751744">December 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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not anymore. The beginning of the end was the horrible Iran deal, and now this (U.N.)! Stay strong Israel, January 20th is fast approaching!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/814114980983427073">December 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Israel meanwhile asked Jerusalem&#39;s city hall to delay a vote on new settlements for Israelis in East Jerusalem. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the decision the same day that Kerry was to make his speech.

But while a Jerusalem planning committee postponed the request for building permits for nearly 500 homes, it did grant approval for a highly controversial settler building in east Jerusalem, AFP quoted an NGO as saying. 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

 
&nbsp;

'They have a choice. They can choose to live together in one state, or they can separate into two states,' he said

US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday that the only way to secure a lasting peace between Israel and Palestinians is to negotiate a two-state solution to their conflict. "Today, there are a similar number of Jews and Palestinians living between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. They have a choice. They can choose to live together in one state, or they can separate into two states," he told an audience of diplomats in Washington. "But here is a fundamental reality: if the choice is one state, Israel can either be Jewish or democratic -– it cannot be both -–and it won't ever really be at peace." Kerry was explaining the US witholding its UN Security Council veto in the 14-0 vote that called for a halt to Israeli settlement building in the occupied territories. "The vote in the UN was about preserving the two-state solution. "That's what we were standing up for: Israel's future as a Jewish and democratic state, living side by side in peace and security with its neighbors," he said. The US secretary of state explained the US vision for a solution to the conflict and warned Israel was on a course leading to a "perpetual occupation" of Palestinian-owned land. "The two-state solution is the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians," Kerry said, but warned that solution was in "serious jeopardy." He also warned that Israel's "settler agenda" was determining its policy in the West Bank and imperiling peace with the Palestinians. "The settler agenda is defining the future in Israel. And their stated purpose is clear: They believe in one state: greater Israel." However, it is not clear whether the obama administration's roadmap for a solution to the conflict will taken forward by US President-elect Donald Trump. Trump made his pro-Israel stand clear on Twitter on Wednesday morning ahead of Kerry's speech, saying the US could not continue to treat Israel with "such total disdain and disrespect." He promised Israel he would improve ties between the two nations after taking charge on January 20. We cannot continue to let Israel be treated with such total disdain and disrespect. They used to have a great friend in the U.S., but....... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 28, 2016 × not anymore. The beginning of the end was the horrible Iran deal, and now this (U.N.)! Stay strong Israel, January 20th is fast approaching! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 28, 2016 × Israel meanwhile asked Jerusalem's city hall to delay a vote on new settlements for Israelis in East Jerusalem. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the decision the same day that Kerry was to make his speech. But while a Jerusalem planning committee postponed the request for building permits for nearly 500 homes, it did grant approval for a highly controversial settler building in east Jerusalem, AFP quoted an NGO as saying. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Two states only way to secure Israeli-Palestinian peace: Kerry

Israel could advance plans this week for thousands more settlement homes in annexed east Jerusalem in defiance of a landmark UN resolution demanding an end to such activity.

It would mark the first such approvals since Friday&#39;s UN Security Council vote demanding a halt to Israeli settlement building in Palestinian territory.

The resolution, which was passed after the United States took the rare move of abstaining, infuriated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who lashed out at President Barack Obama and vowed not to abide by it.

On Wednesday, a Jerusalem planning committee is to discuss issuing building permits for 618 housing units in the mainly Palestinian eastern sector of the city, according to the Ir Amim NGO, which monitors settlement building.

Jerusalem deputy mayor Meir Turjeman, who also heads the committee, has reportedly also spoken of seeking to advance plans for some 5,600 other units at earlier stages in the process.

On Tuesday he told AFP there were no plans to call off discussions in response to the UN vote. The hundreds of building permits were on the agenda before the resolution was passed.

&quot;We&#39;ll discuss everything that&#39;s on the table in a serious manner,&quot; he said.

And on his Facebook page Turjeman wrote: &quot;I&#39;m not concerned by the UN or anything else trying to dictate our actions in Jerusalem.

&quot;I hope the government and new US administration will give us the momentum to continue and make up for the shortage created over the eight years of the Obama administration,&quot; he said of settlement construction.

Diplomatic reprisals&nbsp;

Israel has already taken diplomatic steps in response to what it calls the &quot;shameful&quot; resolution, which passed with support from all the remaining members of the 15-strong Security Council.

On Tuesday, the foreign ministry said it was &quot;temporarily reducing&quot; visits and work with embassies of nations that voted for it.

On Christmas Day it summoned ambassadors of countries that voted for the resolution while Netanyahu met US ambassador Daniel Shapiro on Sunday.

Security Council members such as Russia, China and Britain are the key to Israeli diplomacy or trade and some analysts suggested &nbsp;the measures being taken were more symbolic than substantive.

Washington is Israel&#39;s most important ally and provides it with more than $3 billion per year in defence aid.&nbsp;

By declining to use its veto, the US enabled the adoption of the first UN resolution since 1979 to condemn Israel over its settlement policy.

Obama&#39;s administration has been frustrated with settlement building in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, which Israel occupied in 1967.

Israel later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community.

Settlements are built on land the Palestinians view as part of their future state and seen as illegal under international law.

Some 430,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank and 200,000 Israelis live in east Jerusalem, which Palestinians see as the capital of their future state.

New &#39;Dreyfus trial&#39;?&nbsp;

The UN resolution demands &quot;Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem.&quot;

It says settlements have &quot;no legal validity&quot; and are &quot;dangerously imperilling the viability of the two-state solution&quot; to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the basis of years of negotiations.

The resolution contains no sanctions but Israeli officials are concerned it could widen the possibility of prosecution at the International Criminal Court.

They are also worried it could encourage some countries to impose sanctions against Israeli settlers and goods produced in the settlements.

Plans by France to hold an international Middle East peace conference on January 15 -- opposed by Israel which has called for direct talks with the Palestinians -- is another point of concern.

Officials fear the conference could be lead to further action against Israel that would then be taken to the Security Council for approval before Donald Trump takes over as US president on January 20.

Palestinian leaders support the conference, saying years of negotiations with the Israelis have not ended the occupation.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Monday said the UN resolution &quot;paves the way for the success&quot; of the conference. He said he hopes it &quot;comes out with an international mechanism and a timeline to end Israeli occupation of our country&quot;.

Israeli hardline Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman dubbed the conference a new &quot;Dreyfus trial&quot; and urged French Jews to 
move to Israel.

(AFP)

The UN resolution demands Israel cease all settlement activities 'in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem'

Israel could advance plans this week for thousands more settlement homes in annexed east Jerusalem in defiance of a landmark UN resolution demanding an end to such activity. It would mark the first such approvals since Friday's UN Security Council vote demanding a halt to Israeli settlement building in Palestinian territory. The resolution, which was passed after the United States took the rare move of abstaining, infuriated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who lashed out at President Barack Obama and vowed not to abide by it. On Wednesday, a Jerusalem planning committee is to discuss issuing building permits for 618 housing units in the mainly Palestinian eastern sector of the city, according to the Ir Amim NGO, which monitors settlement building. Jerusalem deputy mayor Meir Turjeman, who also heads the committee, has reportedly also spoken of seeking to advance plans for some 5,600 other units at earlier stages in the process. On Tuesday he told AFP there were no plans to call off discussions in response to the UN vote. The hundreds of building permits were on the agenda before the resolution was passed. "We'll discuss everything that's on the table in a serious manner," he said. And on his Facebook page Turjeman wrote: "I'm not concerned by the UN or anything else trying to dictate our actions in Jerusalem. "I hope the government and new US administration will give us the momentum to continue and make up for the shortage created over the eight years of the Obama administration," he said of settlement construction. Diplomatic reprisals Israel has already taken diplomatic steps in response to what it calls the "shameful" resolution, which passed with support from all the remaining members of the 15-strong Security Council. On Tuesday, the foreign ministry said it was "temporarily reducing" visits and work with embassies of nations that voted for it. On Christmas Day it summoned ambassadors of countries that voted for the resolution while Netanyahu met US ambassador Daniel Shapiro on Sunday. Security Council members such as Russia, China and Britain are the key to Israeli diplomacy or trade and some analysts suggested the measures being taken were more symbolic than substantive. Washington is Israel's most important ally and provides it with more than $3 billion per year in defence aid. By declining to use its veto, the US enabled the adoption of the first UN resolution since 1979 to condemn Israel over its settlement policy. Obama's administration has been frustrated with settlement building in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, which Israel occupied in 1967. Israel later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community. Settlements are built on land the Palestinians view as part of their future state and seen as illegal under international law. Some 430,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank and 200,000 Israelis live in east Jerusalem, which Palestinians see as the capital of their future state. New 'Dreyfus trial'? The UN resolution demands "Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem." It says settlements have "no legal validity" and are "dangerously imperilling the viability of the two-state solution" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the basis of years of negotiations. The resolution contains no sanctions but Israeli officials are concerned it could widen the possibility of prosecution at the International Criminal Court. They are also worried it could encourage some countries to impose sanctions against Israeli settlers and goods produced in the settlements. Plans by France to hold an international Middle East peace conference on January 15 -- opposed by Israel which has called for direct talks with the Palestinians -- is another point of concern. Officials fear the conference could be lead to further action against Israel that would then be taken to the Security Council for approval before Donald Trump takes over as US president on January 20. Palestinian leaders support the conference, saying years of negotiations with the Israelis have not ended the occupation. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Monday said the UN resolution "paves the way for the success" of the conference. He said he hopes it "comes out with an international mechanism and a timeline to end Israeli occupation of our country". Israeli hardline Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman dubbed the conference a new "Dreyfus trial" and urged French Jews to move to Israel. (AFP)

Israel to push for more settlement homes in east Jerusalem despite UN resolution

Ahead of the Sunday night celebrations for Jewish New Year festival, Rosh Hashanah, an opinion poll published today revealed that about two-thirds of Israelis believe there will never be a peace agreement with Palestinians.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The survey conducted by the Project HaMidgam institute for the Walla news website underlines that 64 per cent of the 646 Israeli and Arab-Israeli respondents questioned said a peace accord would never be reached, multiple reports highlighted today.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Meanwhile, 24 per cent believed an accord was possible but that it would take longer than five years to achieve, while four percent thought it could be attained within five years. The remaining eight per cent were undecided, international news agency AFP said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Walla, however, did not publish the poll&#39;s margin of error, Germany&#39;s international broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, observed.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The peace process between Israel and the Palestinians has been comatose since the collapse of a US-led initiative in April 2014, according to AFP.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)&nbsp;

The peace process between Israel and the Palestinians has been comatose since the collapse of a US-led initiative in 2014

Ahead of the Sunday night celebrations for Jewish New Year festival, Rosh Hashanah, an opinion poll published today revealed that about two-thirds of Israelis believe there will never be a peace agreement with Palestinians. The survey conducted by the Project HaMidgam institute for the Walla news website underlines that 64 per cent of the 646 Israeli and Arab-Israeli respondents questioned said a peace accord would never be reached, multiple reports highlighted today. Meanwhile, 24 per cent believed an accord was possible but that it would take longer than five years to achieve, while four percent thought it could be attained within five years. The remaining eight per cent were undecided, international news agency AFP said. Walla, however, did not publish the poll's margin of error, Germany's international broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, observed. The peace process between Israel and the Palestinians has been comatose since the collapse of a US-led initiative in April 2014, according to AFP. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Two-thirds of Israelis don't expect peace accord with Palestine, says report

Israel on Thursday rejected the United Nations&#39; request to release its staffer charged with aiding Palestinian militant outfit Hamas on the grounds that he enjoyed diplomatic immunity. 
 
In early August, an Israeli court had charged the 38-year-old Palestinian engineer with diverting 300 tons of rubble from a UNDP project in Gaza to build a jetty for Hamas. 
 
Israeli ambassador Danny Danon said the UN office of legal affairs had issued a formal letter requesting the release of Waheed Borsh, who worked for the UN Development Program (UNDP). He also asked the UN to carry out a comprehensive review of its aid programs in Gaza, to ensure that funding and employees &quot;fulfill the purpose of aiding the residents of Gaza and not fund terror activities.&quot; 
 
&quot;We do not grant immunity to terrorists trying to harm our citizens,&quot; Danon said in response to the letter. 
 
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<h5>The United Nations had argued that Borsh, as a UN employee, enjoyed immunity from arrest and from legal process, and requested that its officials be allowed to visit him in jail.</h5>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The United Nations had argued that Borsh, as a UN employee, enjoyed immunity from arrest and from legal process, and requested that its officials be allowed to visit him in jail." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
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&quot;Israel operates according to the law, and we continue to do so in this case as well,&quot; he said in a statement from the Israeli mission to the United Nations. 
 
The United Nations had argued that Borsh, as a UN employee, enjoyed immunity from arrest and from legal process, and requested that its officials be allowed to visit him in jail. 
 
After reviewing the charge sheet, the UNDP had challenged Israel&#39;s allegations and had said on Saturday that Borsh diverted the rubble under instructions from the Palestinian Authority. 
 
Israel has long alleged that aid has been diverted to Hamas which has controlled Gaza since 2007, claims rejected by non-governmental organisations and the UN. 
 
However, the UN says that more than two-thirds of the population of the Gaza Strip, which Israel has blockaded for a decade, are reliant on some form of aid, according to the United Nations.

(WION with inputs from AFP) 
 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

'We do not grant immunity to terrorists trying to harm our citizens,' Israeli ambassador Danny Danon told the United Nations

Israel on Thursday rejected the United Nations' request to release its staffer charged with aiding Palestinian militant outfit Hamas on the grounds that he enjoyed diplomatic immunity. In early August, an Israeli court had charged the 38-year-old Palestinian engineer with diverting 300 tons of rubble from a UNDP project in Gaza to build a jetty for Hamas. Israeli ambassador Danny Danon said the UN office of legal affairs had issued a formal letter requesting the release of Waheed Borsh, who worked for the UN Development Program (UNDP). He also asked the UN to carry out a comprehensive review of its aid programs in Gaza, to ensure that funding and employees "fulfill the purpose of aiding the residents of Gaza and not fund terror activities." "We do not grant immunity to terrorists trying to harm our citizens," Danon said in response to the letter. The United Nations had argued that Borsh, as a UN employee, enjoyed immunity from arrest and from legal process, and requested that its officials be allowed to visit him in jail. "Israel operates according to the law, and we continue to do so in this case as well," he said in a statement from the Israeli mission to the United Nations. The United Nations had argued that Borsh, as a UN employee, enjoyed immunity from arrest and from legal process, and requested that its officials be allowed to visit him in jail. After reviewing the charge sheet, the UNDP had challenged Israel's allegations and had said on Saturday that Borsh diverted the rubble under instructions from the Palestinian Authority. Israel has long alleged that aid has been diverted to Hamas which has controlled Gaza since 2007, claims rejected by non-governmental organisations and the UN. However, the UN says that more than two-thirds of the population of the Gaza Strip, which Israel has blockaded for a decade, are reliant on some form of aid, according to the United Nations. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Israel rejects UN appeal to release Gaza employee accused of aiding Hamas