France, Canada Condemn Israeli Legalization of West Bank Settlement Outposts

France and Canada have strongly condemned the Israeli far-right regime's decision to legalize five settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, along with the regime's recent sanctions on the Palestinian Authority.

EU Urges Israel to Stop Destroying Palestinian Houses, Schools in West Bank - Sputnik International

The European Union has called on Israel to stop the demolition of buildings belonging to Palestinian families in the Jordan Valley, as well as refrain from demolishing Palestinian schools built with Europe's financial support, the EU External Action Service (EEAS) said in a press release on Thursday.

Talk to Palestinians or pay price of ‘perpetual occupation’ : German FM to Israel

Israel could pay the price for “perpetual occupation and conflict” and face the prospect of being stuck in a “fully-fledged annexation” if it abandons reconciliation with the Palestinians, the German foreign minister has warned.

О поселенческой активности Израиля на оккупированных палестинских территориях : МИД РФ

СООБЩЕНИЕ ДЛЯ СМИ/МИД РФ:
"10 января в Израиле было объявлено об одобрении планов по возведению более 1100 единиц жилья в 20 поселениях на Западном берегу р.Иордан. По поступающей информации, в ближайшее время могут быть согласованы дополнительные строительные проекты Израиля на оккупированных палестинских территориях.

Anti-aircraft missiles fired at Israeli jets conducting strikes in Syria

Israeli military jets have been targeted by anti-aircraft missiles after they struck several targets in Syria, a spokesperson of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told Sputnik.

Plan approved for 2,500 new settler homes in West Bank

Israel has approved a plan to construct 2,500 new settlement homes in the occupied West Bank, two days after the country accepted building permits for more than 500 settler homes in occupied East Jerusalem.

Israel pushes forward settlement construction in West Bank

Israel has advanced plans to construct or retroactively legalize 1,065 housing units in Jewish settlements in the West Bank, official documents showed on Thursday.

U.K. 'deplores' Israeli appropriation of West Bank land. (1.54 square miles)

On Sunday, Israel announced the appropriation of land in the Etzion Jewish settlement bloc near Bethlehem, a move which an anti-settlement group said was the biggest such claim in 30 years....

REUTERS – The British government said on Monday it deplored an Israeli decision to appropriate a large swath of land inside the West Bank, saying the move would seriously damage Israel's international reputation.

On Sunday, Israel announced the appropriation of land in the Etzion Jewish settlement bloc near Bethlehem, a move which an anti-settlement group said was the biggest such claim in 30 years.

Palestinians to turn to UN over Israel settlement drive. Resolution against the settlements, in February 2011, widely supported, was blocked by a US veto.

The Palestinians said Thursday they would appeal to the United Nations after Israel announced plans for 1,500 new settler homes in response to the formation of a Hamas-backed unity government.

The new government of technocrats is recognized by both the European Union and the US, but Israel has vowed to boycott what it says is a "government of terror" supported by its Islamist foe.

The tenders were unveiled by the Israeli housing ministry overnight, 48 hours after the swearing in of the unity government ending seven years of rival administrations in the West Bank and Gaza.

Israël: Netanyahu veut annexer un quatrième bloc de colonies dans tout accord de paix

Le Premier ministre israélien Benjamin Netanyahu a affirmé au secrétaire d'Etat américain John Kerry qu'il voulait annexer quatre blocs de colonies en Cisjordanie dans tout accord avec les Palestiniens, a indiqué dimanche la radio militaire.

Jusqu'à présent, M. Netanyahu réclamait l'annexion de trois grands blocs d'implantations, où vivent la grande majorité des 360.000 colons installés en Cisjordanie. Lors de ses dernières rencontres avec M. Kerry, qui tente depuis juillet dernier de relancer les négociations avec les Palestiniens, M. Netanyahu a affirmé qu'il entendait garder le contrôle d'un quatrième bloc de colonies autour de l'implantation de Beit El et qui regrouperait deux autres colonies voisine de Psagot et d'Ofra, a précisé la radio. Selon la radio, cette annexion permettrait d'isoler partiellement Ramallah, la capitale politique de l'Autorité palestinienne, du reste de la Cisjordanie.

Israel hits back at EU over settlement protest

Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel called in European ambassadors in a tit-for-tat move on Friday after four EU states lodged formal protests against the rightwing government's drive to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the European Union of a "hypocritical" attitude toward the Middle East process, saying it should be more concerned by Palestinian militancy than Israeli housing construction.

The new spat with Europe follows a furious public row with key ally the United States after Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon launched a bitter personal tirade against Secretary of State John Kerry for his "obsession" with brokering a framework peace deal with the Palestinians by April.

Report: Netanyahu visited Jordan for talks with King Abdullah

Two leaders discuss peace talks; Army Radio reports Netanyahu told Kerry Israel intends on keeping Beit El settlement bloc in peace deal.

Prime Minister Binyamin held an unannounced meeting in Amman with Jordan's King Abdullah II on Thursday, Jordan's official Petra news agency reported.

According to the report, the meeting focused on the current Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
The Prime Minister's Office would not comment on the reports.

Israeli defense minister apologizes to Kerry

Israeli Minister of Defence Moshe Yaalon apologized Tuesday to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for accusing the American of having an “obsession and a messianic feeling” towards the Middle East.
Yaalon said in a statement that he “had no intention to cause any offence to the secretary, and he apologizes if the secretary was offended by words attributed to the minister.”
“Israel and the United states share a common goal to advance the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians led by Secretary Kerry,” he added.
Israel’s biggest-selling newspaper quoted Yaalon earlier as saying “John Kerry - who has come to us determined and is acting out of an incomprehensible obsession and a messianic feeling - cannot teach me a single thing about the conflict with the Palestinians.”

US calls Ya'alon's comments about Kerry 'offensive'; Netanyahu does damage control

State Dept. issues rebuke after Ya'alon reportedly calls Kerry "messianic, delusional"; PM says "Even when we have disagreements with the US, they are always on the heart of the matter, not on the merits of an individual."

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu did damage control on the Israel-US relationship in his speech in honor of the Knesset's 65th birthday, following Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon's comments about US Secretary of State John Kerry.

"Even when we have disagreements with the US, they are always on the heart of the matter, not on the merits of an individual," Netanyahu said in an apparent dig at Ya'alon, who, according to a Yediot Aharonot report, accused Kerry of being "messianic" and "delusional" when it comes to negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

Israel defence minister, Moshe Yaalon, lambasts Kerry over security plan. -Israeli newspaper

AFP
Israel's defence minister has lashed at US Secretary of State John Kerry, saying a security plan he presented is "not worth the paper it was written on," an Israeli newspaper reported Tuesday.
"The American plan for security arrangements that was shown to us... provides neither security nor peace," Moshe Yaalon was quoted by Yediot Aharonot as saying.
The plan "isn't worth the paper it was written on," Yaalon reportedly said in private conversations with Israeli officials, accusing Kerry of being naive and implying that he is a nuisance.
Kerry has tried to push Israelis and Palestinians towards an elusive peace deal after decades of conflict, shuttling back and forth in 10 visits to the region since March.

Ban condemns new West Bank settlement construction

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UN chief calls approval of 1,400 new homes ‘obstacle to peace;’ says looking forward to ‘decisive progress’ in Israeli-Palestinian talks.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday condemned Israel’s announcement of new settlement expansion, calling the move illegal and an obstacle to peace.

Speaking during his first press conference of 2014, Ban said that the UN anticipates “decisive progress” in talks between Israel and the Palestinians toward “drawing back from a perilous status quo.”

Israël: nouvelle étape vers la construction de 272 logements dans des colonies

Un projet de 272 logements dans des colonies israéliennes en Cisjordanie a été approuvé à la veille du départ du secrétaire d'Etat américain John Kerry, a révélé lundi l'organisation anticolonisation La Paix Maintenant.
La construction de 250 logements dans la colonie d'Ofra (centre) et de 22 autres à Karnei Shomron (nord) a été validée dimanche, selon un document officiel publié sur le site de l'administration militaire israélienne chargée des colonies, a indiqué l'ONG dans un communiqué, estimant que "la construction pourrait débuter rapidement".

Sa'ar: Jordan Valley vital to Israel's strategic depth...

During a tour with lawmakers through the Jordan Valley on Thursday, Interior Minister Gideon Sa'ar said that "only [an Israeli presence] here will ensure strategic depth."

At a ceremony unveiling the cornerstone for a new neighborhood in the West Bank settlement of Moshav Gitit, Sa'ar said it was imperative for security reasons that Israel hold onto the Jordan Valley in any future peace arrangement with the Palestinian Authority.

"The fundamental question is where will the border for the State of Israel run," the interior minister said. 

Palestinians attack symbolic ministerial vote to annex Jordan Valley

Erekat: Bill shows Israel's "indifference" to international law; Yesh Atid, Hatnua are likely to appeal vote on bill that would apply Israeli law to the area.

Palestinians warned Sunday that a symbolic Israeli ministerial vote to annex the Jordan Valley could destroy the peace process which US Secretary of State John Kerry is pushing to advance by heading to Jerusalem and Ramallah later this week.
The vote “shows the extent of Israeli disrespect for international law and the efforts of the Quartet,” Palestinian Liberation Organization chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said.

In a show of support for the Jordan Valley which the Palestinians claim should be an essential part of their state, the Ministerial Legislative Committee voted 8 to 3 to annex it to Israel.

Erekat: Palestinian, Israeli negotiating teams no longer meeting directly

Direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been frozen, and negotiations are currently undergoing with American mediation, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told pan-Arab newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi on Sunday.

"Meetings are now taking place between the US administration and us on the one hand, and between Israel and the US administration on the other hand," Erekat said.