Today, Friday, the Israeli occupation forces arrested two brothers from the town of Derastiya, west of Salfit.

According to local sources, these forces arrested the mayor of Derastiya, Firas Dhiyab, and his brother Ali, while they were participating in the weekly march and performing prayers on the lands of the Al-Qaada area, which is threatened with seizure by the occupation and settlers.

The US has raised its concern “at the highest level” about Israel’s continued settlement activity, its UN envoy told the Security Council as she pledged her country’s commitment to a two-state solution and the normalization of Israeli ties in the region.

“Make no mistake: the expansion of settlements undermines the geographic viability of a two-state solution, exacerbates tensions, and further harms trust between the two parties,” Linda Thomas-Greenfield said.

She spoke in the aftermath of a dramatic spike of 303% in housing starts from the first and second quarters of 2023, according to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics published this month.

From January to March of this year, ground was broken for 255 settler homes, compared to 1,028 housing starts from April to June of the year, the CBS reported. 

Despite the second-quarter rise, housing starts have dropped this year by 18.7% in the first two quarters when ground was broken for 1,283 settler homes compared with the same time period last year when there were 1,580 settler starts.

Advancing settlement plans

All total, there were 2,568 settler housing starts in 2023. Israel has advanced plans this year for 12,349 housing starts, according to the left-wing group Peace Now. It’s the largest such number since the group started collecting data in 2012.

“The United States strongly opposes the advancement of settlements and urges Israel to refrain from this activity. “We take the issue very seriously, as it undermines the possibility of a future contiguous Palestinian state, and we raise it at the highest levels on a consistent basis,” she said. 

Thomas-Greenfield spoke during the UNSC’s monthly meeting Wednesday on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which took place amid a push for an Israeli-Saudi normalization deal and in the aftermath of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with US President Joe Biden. The potential Saudi agreement is a subset of a deal between Washington and Riyadh that would consist mainly of a security pact. The US-Saudi deal could also include an interim agreement with the Palestinians at a time when the Israeli government does not support a Palestinian state and supports all settlement activity. Thomas-Greenfield in her speech also took Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to task for his speech in August blaming the Jews for the Holocaust. “I want to reiterate that the United States condemns President Abbas’s blatantly antisemitic remarks in August, which wrongly maligned the Jewish people and distorted the Holocaust. These kinds of divisive and hateful remarks only undermine prospects for peace between Israelis and Palestinians,” she said.

But the bulk of her speech was directed at Israel, with an emphasis on settlement building and settler violence.

“The sharp rise in violence by extremist Israeli settlers against Palestinians is also deeply alarming. “All perpetrators of violence against civilians, whether Israeli or Palestinian, should be held accountable according to the law,” Thomas-Greenfield stated.

 “Ongoing violence sets back the prospects for peace and is responsible for so much needless suffering,” she said. The US is “deeply concerned by the levels of violence in the West Bank and Gaza” and it expresses “condolences for those injured or killed in the past month across Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. ”She welcomed de-escalation efforts and called on all parties to refrain from actions and rhetoric that inflamed tensions – “including hateful rhetoric, settlement activity, evictions, the demolition of Palestinian homes, terrorism, incitement to violence, and [Palestinian Authority] payments to the families of terrorists,” she said.

 Thomas-Greenfield re-affirmed the US commitment to the status quo on the Temple Mount, known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif.“We oppose actions that depart from the historic status quo, or otherwise disturb the sanctity” of religious sites in Jerusalem. “Such action is unacceptable,” she added. 

Work is underway to convene the Forum of Five – Egypt, Jordan, the US, the Palestinian Authority, and Israel – which met twice this year in Sharm el-Sheikh and Aqaba. Thomas-Greenfield also confirmed her country’s support for freedom of movement for the peacekeeper forces on the Lebanese border and affirmed the decision taken under the Trump administration to recognize Israeli sovereignty on the Golan Heights. “Our policy in this regard [the status of the Golan Heights] remains unchanged from 2019,” she said.

“I am disturbed by the high levels of settler-related violence, often in the proximity of Israeli Security Forces, with perpetrators rarely held accountable. Israel must act to stop all settler violence.”UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland said that from June 15 to September 19, Israeli security forces demolished 238 illegal Palestinian structures, as he noted that authorizations for structures are almost impossible to obtain.

In addition, he said, shrinking grazing land and settler violence have forced Palestinians to leave their homes in Area C of the West Bank. In describing the violence of the last three months, he said, “68 Palestinians, including 18 children, were killed by Israeli security forces during demonstrations, clashes, security operations, attacks or alleged attacks against Israelis, and other incidents. ”In conjunction, there were “10 Israelis, including one woman, two children, and three Israeli security forces personnel who were killed. ”Wennesland said he remained “gravely concerned by the intensification of violence in the occupied West Bank and Israel – at levels not seen in decades – and the use of increasingly lethal weaponry, including in densely populated areas. ”Similarly, Wennesland said, “I condemn all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror. ”He added, “I am disturbed by the high levels of settler-related violence, often in the proximity of Israeli Security Forces, with perpetrators rarely held accountable. Israel must act to stop all settler violence

Five people were injured of varying severity, after they were exposed to gunfire in a crime committed in the village of Barta'a in the occupied interior, today, Friday.

Local sources reported that the wounded, who were in their twenties, were taken to the hospital to receive treatment.

This comes as a 50-year-old person from the Negev region was killed in a shooting crime committed yesterday evening, Thursday, near the Beit Kama intersection on Street 6. A young man was also killed after being exposed to gunfire in the town of Al-Furaidis.

Prisoner Kayed Al-Fasfus (34 years old) from the town of Dura, south of Hebron, who is on hunger strike for the 58th day in a row, against his administrative detention, faces serious health conditions, at a time when the Israeli occupation continues its obstinacy and refusal to respond to his demands.

The Prisoners' Club said in a statement today, Friday, that the occupation prison administration transferred prisoner Fasfous yesterday from the cells of Ashkelon prison to the Ramla prison clinic, after he suffered from difficult health conditions, which pose a threat to his life.

He added that the process of transferring Phosphos to the Ramla prison clinic, instead of transferring him to a (civilian) hospital, is a message that the occupation is continuing a systematic process of revenge against him.

The occupation authorities had re-arrested Al-Fafsous on May 2, 2023, and transferred him to administrative detention. He is a former prisoner who spent about (7) years in prisons.

Al-Fafsous went on a hunger strike at the end of May and the beginning of last June, which lasted for 9 days. He also went on a strike in 2021 against his administrative detention, which lasted for 131 days.

Al-Fafsous is married and the father of a daughter. He has three other brothers who are administratively detained: Khaled (35 years old), Akram (39 years old), and Hafez (40 years old). His family was also subjected to acts of abuse, as part of the crime of (collective punishment).

A number of Palestinians were injured by live bullets, rubber-coated bullets, and suffocation, during confrontations that broke out with the occupation forces in the West Bank governorates, today, Friday.

In Nablus, a number of citizens, a foreign activist and a journalist were injured during the Israeli occupation forces’ suppression of a march against settlement in the village of Beit Dajan, east of Nablus.

Ahmed Jibril, director of ambulance at the Red Crescent in Nablus, reported that 3 citizens were directly injured by gas bombs, one in the face and two in the chest, and they were treated in the field.

He added that the crews provided treatment for 23 cases of poisonous gas suffocation as well, including a female journalist and a foreign activist.

The march began after Friday prayers at the invitation of the Popular Committee for Defending the Lands of Beit Dajan, towards lands threatened with seizure by settlers.

Tens of thousands of worshipers performed Friday prayers in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, amid strict military measures imposed by the Israeli occupation forces at the gates and entrances of the Old City in occupied Jerusalem.

The Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem estimated that about 40,000 worshipers performed Friday prayers in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, amid an intense deployment of Israeli occupation forces in the streets of the city and the vicinity of the mosque, who checked the personal cards of the worshipers, and obstructed and prevented the entry of many of them.

Saudi Arabia is determined to secure a military pact requiring the United States to defend the kingdom in return for opening ties with Israel and will not hold up a deal even if Israel does not offer major concessions to Palestinians in their bid for statehood, three regional sources familiar with the talks said.

A pact might fall short of the cast-iron, NATO-style defense guarantees the kingdom initially sought when the issue was first discussed between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Joe Biden during the US president's visit to Saudi Arabia in July 2022.

Instead, a US source said it could look like treaties Washington has with Asian states or, if that would not win US Congress approval, it could be similar to a US agreement with Bahrain, where the US Navy Fifth Fleet is based. Such an agreement would not need congressional backing.

Arabia a Major Non-NATO Ally, a status already given to Israel, the US source said. But all the sources said Saudi Arabia would not settle for less than binding assurances of US protection if it faced attack, such as the Sept. 14, 2019 missile strikes on its oil sites that rattled world markets. Riyadh and Washington blamed Iran, the kingdom's regional rival, although Tehran denied having a role.

Agreements giving the world's biggest oil exporter US protection in return for normalization with Israel would reshape the Middle East by bringing together two longtime foes and binding Riyadh to Washington after China's inroads in the region. For Biden, it would be a diplomatic victory to vaunt before the 2024 US election.

The Palestinians could get some Israeli restrictions eased but such moves would fall short of their aspirations for a state. As with other Arab-Israeli deals forged over the decades, the Palestinian core demand for statehood would take a back seat, the three regional sources familiar with the talks said.

Saudis will normalize relations with Israel, even without the Palestinians

"The normalization will be between Israel and Saudi Arabia. If the Palestinians oppose it the kingdom will continue in its path," said one of the regional sources. "Saudi Arabia supports a peace plan for the Palestinians, but this time it wanted something for Saudi Arabia, not just for the Palestinians." The Saudi government and the US State Department did not respond to emailed questions about this article.

'Less than a full treaty'

A US official, who like others declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter, said the parameters of a defense pact were still being worked out, adding that what was being discussed "would not be a treaty alliance or anything like that ... It would be a mutual defense understanding, less than a full treaty."

The official said it would be more like the US relationship with Israel, which receives the most advanced US weapons and holds joint air force and missile defense drills.

A source in Washington familiar with the discussions said MbS had asked for a NATO-style treaty but said Washington was reluctant to go as far as NATO's Article 5 commitment that an attack on one ally is considered an attack on all.

The source said Biden's aides could consider a pact patterned on those with Japan and other Asian allies, under which the US pledges military support but is less explicit about whether US troops would be deployed. However, the source said some US lawmakers might resist such a pact.

Another template, which would not need congressional approval, would be the agreement signed with Bahrain on Sept. 13, in which the US pledged to "deter and confront any external aggression" but also said the two governments would consult to determine what, if any, action would be taken.

The source in Washington said Saudi Arabia could be designated a Major Non-NATO Ally, a step which had long been considered. This status, which several Arab states such as Egypt have, comes with a range of benefits, such as training.

The second of the regional sources said Riyadh was compromising in some demands to help secure a deal, including over its plans for civilian nuclear technology. The source said Saudi Arabia was ready to sign Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act, establishing a framework for US peaceful nuclear cooperation, a move Riyadh previously refused to take.

The Gulf source said the kingdom was prepared to accept a pact that did not match a NATO Article 5 guarantee but said the US had to commit to protecting Saudi Arabia if its territory was attacked. The source also said a deal could be similar to Bahrain's agreement but with extra commitments.

Seeking Israeli commitments

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hailed the possibility of a "historic" peace with Saudi Arabia, the heartland of Islam. But to secure the prize, Netanyahu has to win the approval of parties in his far-right coalition which reject any concessions to the Palestinians.

MbS said in a Fox News interview this month that the kingdom was moving steadily closer to normalizing ties with Israel. He spoke about the need for Israel to "ease the life of the Palestinians" but made no mention of Palestinian statehood.

Nevertheless, diplomats and the regional sources said MbS was insisting on some commitments from Israel to show he was not abandoning the Palestinians and that he was seeking to keep the door open to a two-state solution.

Those would include demanding Israel transfer some Israeli-controlled territory in the West Bank to the Palestinian Authority (PA), limit Jewish settlement activity and halt any steps to annex parts of the West Bank. Riyadh has also promised financial aid to the PA, the diplomats and sources said.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said any bargain must recognize the Palestinian right to a state within the 1967 borders, including East Jerusalem, and must stop Israeli settlement building. However, all the sources said a Saudi-Israeli deal was unlikely to address those flashpoint issues.

Netanyahu has said Palestinians should not have a veto over any peacemaking deal. Yet, even if the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia agree, winning support from lawmakers in the US Congress remains a challenge.

Republicans and those in Biden's Democratic Party have previously denounced Riyadh for its military intervention in Yemen, its moves to prop up oil prices, and its role in the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who worked for the Washington Post. MbS denied ordering the killing.

"What's important for Saudi Arabia is for Biden to have the pact approved by Congress," the first regional source said, pointing to concessions Riyadh was making to secure a deal.

For Biden, a deal that builds a US-Israeli-Saudi axis could put a brake on China's diplomatic inroads after Beijing brokered a rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which Washington accuses of seeking nuclear arms. Tehran denies this.

"There was a sense that the US has abandoned the region," said one diplomat. "By courting China, the Saudis wanted to create some anxiety that will make the US re-engage. It has worked."

Today, Friday, the Israeli occupation forces closed the Huwara and Beit Furik military checkpoints in the vicinity of Nablus, and prevented citizens from entering the city.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces present at the two checkpoints prevented citizens from entering the city, causing a stifling crisis in the place.

A young Palestinian was injured by a metal bullet in the eye, at dawn on Friday, during the Israeli occupation forces’ storming of the Qalandia camp, north of occupied Jerusalem.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces stormed Qalandia camp, and violent confrontations broke out, during which the occupation forces fired live bullets and rubber bullets at citizens, while young men threw stones and Molotov cocktails.

Local sources confirmed that a young man was seriously injured in the eye by rubber-coated metal bullets.

The Hebrew newspaper Haaretz reported, on Friday, that the Israeli government's judicial advisor, Gali Beharav-Meara, decided to stop the investigation against the Minister of the so-called National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, in the case of his threat to Palestinian guards from inside the occupied territories after a confrontation between him and them at the fairgrounds in the city of Tel Aviv about a year ago. Two years.

A video clip was published showing Ben Gvir pointing a gun at the guards after an argument between them.

Yesterday, Thursday, the Israeli Supreme Court received a notice of the decision to close the case as part of updating the petition that demanded that Ben Gvir be prevented from being removed from his position due to his actions in such a case.

Ben Gvir claimed that he felt threatened by the guards, which prompted him to pull out his personal pistol, which he obtained from a Knesset officer, because of the threats he was being subjected to.

The Office of the Judicial Counsel said that the decision was taken after examining the evidence, which showed that there was nothing that allowed the possibility of convicting him.

The Jerusalem Municipality, affiliated with the Israeli authorities, published a picture of Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surroundings, after processing it by removing the Dome of the Rock from it.

According to the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz, the large picture was placed in a public square in the city during events organized by the municipality.

This is not the first time that images have been processed and the Dome of the Rock removed by the Jerusalem Municipality, as the newspaper noted.

Yesterday marked the 23rd anniversary of the Al-Aqsa uprising, which broke out in protest against Ariel Sharon’s storming of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, in defiance of the Jerusalemites in particular and the Arab and Islamic nation in general, amidst heavy guarding by the occupation forces and with the approval of the Prime Minister at the time, Ehud Barak of the Israeli Labor Party, which thwarted the talks with The late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat refused to implement the Camp David Accords, especially those related to Jerusalem and the Israeli withdrawal from Areas B and C.

If we look today at the reality that Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque in particular are experiencing, and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories in general, things are getting worse and worse. The raids on Al-Aqsa Mosque are continuing and are being carried out alongside the extremist settlers by Israeli officials and ministers who are the most racist, extremist and hostile to everything Palestinian and Arab.

Likewise, successive Israeli governments, especially the current government, which is the most right-wing, extremist, and racist, have continued their attempts to divide Al-Aqsa Mosque spatially after they succeeded in dividing it temporally, in front of the eyes of the entire world, with the Arab and Islamic world at the forefront, which did not do anything except issuing statements of denunciation and denunciation that do not enhance or enrich the situation. Hunger, which the occupying state does not care about and does not attach any importance to, as long as the Arab and Islamic countries do not take deterrent measures on the ground and are satisfied with these statements that have been eaten up and consumed by time.

On the 23rd anniversary of the attack on Al-Aqsa, the Holy Mosque is facing great dangers. The incursions have become normal, the temporal division has become normal, the excavations under the mosque have become normal, and things are deteriorating, and Al-Aqsa is on the path to Judaization if practical steps are not taken on the ground by the Arab and Islamic nation and attempts are made to erect the alleged temple in place of its dome. The Holy Rock is being built in full swing, and the temple organizations are waiting for the opportunity to implement this measure.

The Jerusalemites and internal Palestinians are the only ones who continue to confront the occupation and its measures of Judaization, Israelization, and seizing homes in Old Jerusalem and outside it. These alone cannot prevent the occupying state from continuing its crimes and violations. They are facing an entire country, along with the settlers, the organizations of the alleged temple, the settlement organizations, and other terrorist organizations. .

The attack on Al-Aqsa and on the Holy City is constantly escalating, and the occupation’s measures against the Jerusalemites continue to prevent them from defending Al-Aqsa and the rest of the Islamic and Christian holy sites. Arrests and deportations from Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem continue and increase day after day, and the confrontation with those in seclusion is in full swing.

The question that arises is: Where is the nation of Muhammad, peace be upon him, and the nation of the Arabs in terms of everything that is happening against Al-Aqsa, the first of the two Qiblahs, the second of the two mosques, and the third of the Two Holy Mosques?

The Zionist state’s approaches, with regard to the expansion of colonialism/ “settlement” in the occupied West Bank, have descended to the level of “ethnic cleansing,” as the frank public cooperation between the Israeli government, its military and security agencies, and the “settler” groups has been completely exposed. The abuse does not stop, but has increased rapidly since the current government came to power, and thousands of dunams have been “cleared” and seized by the colonists/settlers!!!

Dozens of herding communities live throughout the West Bank, all of which are considered, in the eyes of the Zionist state, “unrecognized villages.” They are not connected to the electricity, water, and road infrastructure, and Israel prevents them from doing so. These days, violence carried out by “settlers” has worsened and is used by the current Israeli government as a tool to make the lives of the residents of these communities more miserable. In some places, these acts of violence have turned the lives of the residents of the communities into a daily nightmare, such that they are deprived of any possibility to live in dignity, even at a minimum. Because of this violence, residents have become living in fear to the point that they feel afraid for their lives, especially after they realized that there is no one to protect them. When they were left with no other option, some of them were forced to leave their homes and places of residence and move to safer places, in the absence of any other alternative.

Dozens of communities distributed throughout the West Bank live in a similar reality. As the Zionist state insists on continuing its policy, the residents of these communities will also be subject to deportation, and the Zionist state will achieve its goal and seize their lands. What is happening is the replacement of Palestinian citizens with colonists, as Israeli media reports recently revealed that the leaders of the “settlers/colonists” presented “an ambitious plan to increase their number in the northern West Bank from about (170) thousand people to one million by 2050.” The Israeli website "Ynet" reported that the plan was presented to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and includes the establishment of new cities and industrial zones that provide job opportunities, a hospital and an airport. The website added that the plan “includes expanding existing settlements into cities, in addition to establishing new cities, with train lines linking the West Bank to central and northern Israel.” In fact, according to the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem, “Israel has been taking for years a series of measures to make the lives of dozens of Palestinian communities across the West Bank miserable and bitter, with the aim of forcing their residents to leave their places of residence, to achieve its ambition to seize land.” She added: “If there is something that must be rejected, it is participation in committing a war crime and implementing a policy whose goal is transfer.”

Yes, it is ethnic cleansing, which was clearly expressed by the leftist Israeli writer (Gideon Levy) in an article in which he said: “Away from everyone’s eyes, and on the margins of the dark backyard, ethnic cleansing is taking place. What appeared a few months ago as a random set of violent acts carried out by unruly settlers, who sadistically assaulted and abused their neighbors, and did not hesitate to hit the elderly and children with iron rods, is growing before our blind eyes, and reaching brutal proportions. Now this has become a policy, with or without the support of the regime. “This looks like ethnic cleansing, it acts like ethnic cleansing, so it is ethnic cleansing.” Levy adds revealingly: “The settlers carry out attacks to satisfy their desires, and the soldiers guard them. The Israeli army can never claim innocence and say that its soldiers are not involved in the ongoing process of ethnic cleansing.” This is the case, and in light of the Arab, Islamic and international silence (except those who have mercy on your Lord), is there anyone who denies the Palestinians planted in the land their right to resort to various types of Resistance?

This port, which was built by Sheikh Zahir al-Omar in 1761 AD, was built by Palestinian Arab hands. During the nineteenth century, the port developed despite the setback in its work in some periods due to the volatile political situation at the time. It is distinguished over others by its strategic geographic location in the city of Haifa, with its length of 3 meters. km on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, the depth of its waters, and its extension between Mount Carmel and the sea, in addition to its other technical specifications. The port has historically contributed to supplying the Palestinian Canaanite city with trade and tourists, and reviving its economy and the lives of its people. Haifa's geographical location contributed to its urban, commercial and tourism growth, and it was distinguished by being the most important center of intellectual radiation in historical Palestine. What increased the importance of the city was the presence of the Hejaz Railway, which extended in 1905, as well as the Haifa-Cairo Railway, and then its port, which was established by the Ottomans in 1905. 1908, so European ambitions began to move towards the port of Haifa, taking advantage of the political alliances and tensions at that time.

With Palestine falling under the British Mandate, the British forces worked to build the port’s infrastructure and develop its facilities. After 11 years of work, the port opened in its new look in 1933, and began receiving Iraqi oil via a pipeline from the Kirkuk fields in the north. The new port also contributed to the export of many products from Palestine and neighboring Arab countries to the world, and Haifa’s role grew in addition to being the gateway to The world, and the port of Haifa (which in 1947 was considered one of the largest ports in the eastern Mediterranean after Alexandria) enriched Palestinian life and became the first strategic and commercial city, which whetted the appetite of the Zionists. It and Jaffa were the first cities occupied by Zionist gangs in 1948, and crimes, massacres and genocide were committed against them. Most of their people were displaced, which led to a loss of economic energy despite the stock of wealth and agricultural and natural products in the countryside. And weakening the ability of Palestinian steadfastness, Israel stole all the Palestinian effort and the huge legacy of economic infrastructure, and built its economy on it, which provided it huge sums of money, especially in the first ten years of its occupation. The port represents great military importance to the Israeli army and navy as it is a military barracks because of the non-conventional weapons and chemical factories it contains, in addition to submarines, warships and other military equipment.

As occupied Haifa grows older, its value, importance, brilliance increase like gold. At the same time, the occupation’s ambitions in it and in its port multiply, even if the Zionist leaders were able to steal the geography and this Palestinian heritage in the past and present by force of arms and collect huge sums of money from the deals to sell this port for billions of dollars to China and India. Previously, this money was used to buy weapons with which to kill Palestinians, and it is currently looking forward to more sales and for the port of Haifa to have a primary role in the major American project (corridor) between India and Europe, which aims to connect ports in Europe with the Middle East and Asia, and we are not here to talk about the success of the project. Whether or not there is a competitive project for influence between countries, we are responding to those who exploit the project and target Palestine (geography, which is located in the heart of the ancient world) and the ancient history, where it occupied the forefront. Netanyahu can manipulate the drawing of maps and replace the word “Israel” instead of Palestine and display it in the United Nations (and this is a condemnation of him and the United Nations, which did not object to him), but Netanyahu and the Zionist leadership will not be able to cancel the existence and history of the owner of the true stolen heritage and their national and historical identities, and cancel the Palestine that speaks Historical evidence about the long history of its land and the depth of its roots. To all of these we say: Except Haifa and its port!!!

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the extremist government cannot continue to deceive the world and present lies and evasion regarding the Palestinian issue. The facts of the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territories are testimony to the crimes of his government. These statements that he tried to market through his speech at the United Nations are nothing but an expression of his political bankruptcy. And his escape forward, and that there will be no peace or stability in the region by abandoning the Palestinian people and achieving their just demands in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.

The Palestinian position, which was determined by the will of the free, struggling people, is clear and known to the whole world, and it will not be given up. Anyone who believes otherwise is wrong, and that peace begins with Palestine and stability begins with the Palestinian people obtaining their legitimate national rights and establishing their independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Without that, there is no peace, no security, and no peace. Stability in the region and the region, and that the Palestinian people will not deviate from their national constants and will remain committed to their land and sanctities, and history has always proven that the occupation will disappear, no matter how long it takes.

These conditions and dictates put forward by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his speech before the United Nations General Assembly are nothing but his continuation of lying and deceiving the world, and they reveal the truth of his anti-peace positions and are an extension of the settler colonial mentality, which treats the rights of the Palestinian people as an internal Israeli matter that it controls according to the programs of his right-wing coalition. The extremist.


Netanyahu is working on cloning himself and defending a government that is considered extremist. He is not wasting any opportunity to sabotage any efforts made to achieve peace through his misleading campaigns aimed at overturning the facts of the conflict and removing the Palestinian issue from the ladder of regional and international concerns, and through manipulating words to achieve one essence, which is to perpetuate the occupation and deepen the situation. Settlement and the apartheid regime, buying more time, ignoring Palestinian rights, and deepening the gradual annexation of the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

All of Netanyahu’s attempts to turn the Arab Peace Initiative upside down and ignore the strategic necessities to solve the Palestinian issue first, as it is the gateway to peace in the region and the only way to achieve security and stability in the region and the world, cannot be achieved. Netanyahu’s lies about his concern for the interests of the peoples of the region are refuted daily by the systematic Israeli escalation in the arena of conflict, which reveals He is trying to market the concept of peace in exchange for peace, as stated in the interpretations and explanations of his followers from the pillars of the ruling right.

Netanyahu did not surprise us with his speech at the United Nations, which was, as usual, a speech that was arrogant and racist to the point of disgust and full of lies, and contradicted all historical, religious and legal facts. He reaffirmed that there was no vision or plan in his government’s program to engage in a negotiated political process with the Palestinians that would lead to an end to the occupation. And his alleged maps of the Middle East aim primarily to change the facts of the region, its geography and history, and to work towards the absence of the Palestinian people, their homeland, and their land, and to end the Palestinian issue.

The entire region cannot enjoy stability if anyone thinks that the Palestinian people and their rights can be ignored, and that we are the difficult number in the equation of the region, its security and stability. It is the delusion of everyone who thinks that peace can be achieved in the Middle East without the Palestinian people obtaining their legitimate national rights and the occupation being removed from our land. Sanctify us and establish our independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.

The 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War (1973) is approaching. The Israelis commemorate the anniversary on two dates: according to the Hebrew calendar, which fell last Monday, and according to the Gregorian calendar, which falls on October 6.

Hardly an anniversary of the 1973 war passes without the secrets and struggles of the generals during it being unveiled in Israel. In general, the new revelations confirm that Israel did not expect this war, and criticized itself for it very harshly, knowing, according to one account, that it had received a warning about the intention of Egypt and Syria to wage war, but it was not convinced by this warning, “as it reached it before the Arab attack.” "Only one day" for some of them. The element of surprise, which is one of the most important elements of war in general, revealed a weakness in the Israeli intelligence services, especially the Military Intelligence Division. This aspect has been addressed extensively over the past years.

If we turn a blind eye to the various repercussions that these revelations had that were related at the time to purely military aspects, then the systematic way of thinking behind those conflicts has something that refers to two related issues in terms of meaning and structure, and was in turn the impetus for formulating the most important assumptions that were important, not in those matters. Not only the period, but also in the periods that followed.

The first issue is that what prevailed among the Israeli security establishment, on the eve of the 1973 war, was that the Israeli army’s preparation for any war it might fight must be done not on the basis of the strength possessed by the Arab opponent it will fight, but rather on Israel’s assessments of its intentions. This is a conclusion stated by all those who blamed Israel, with its political and military institutions, for being intoxicated by the feelings of euphoria that overcame it after the victory it achieved in the 1967 war. These are feelings that, following that war, caused widespread assessments by the Israeli security establishment regarding the strength of Egypt and its army. It is based more on intentions and desires than on their real strength, foremost of which is the appreciation that Egypt is no longer capable of waging a war against Israel. One of the Israeli officers who participated in the October War testified that he personally heard the head of the Military Intelligence Division in the Israeli army at that time say in a course for officers from the Paratroopers Division that “Egypt has become a deplorable country”!

Those who advocate this issue take their inspiration from the testimony of the Israeli Minister of Security during the 1973 war, Moshe Dayan, before the Agranat Committee, the official Israeli investigation committee that investigated the facts of the October War, who confirmed that his major mistake was his assessment in which he underestimated the capabilities of the Egyptian army, and exaggerated the assessment of their capabilities. Israeli army.

The second issue, in turn, refers to the factor of surprise, but not to the possibility of waging war, but rather to the ability of Arabs in general to wage it. In this regard, Michael Milstein, one of the most prominent Israeli researchers specializing in Arab affairs and a former security official, wrote that the new records regarding the Israeli government’s deliberations on the eve of the outbreak of the 1973 war and during it, which were recently unveiled on the occasion of its half-century anniversary, are embodied in concrete How the main surprise that gripped the leadership in Israel was not simply the outbreak of war on October 6, but rather the behavior of the Arab side. This researcher goes on to say: The Israeli leadership was astonished by the mere fact that the Arab armies fought with courage and determination, reaped successes, demonstrated wisdom and awareness, excelled in decoding the Israeli way of thinking, and worked guided by a complex strategic logic whose mysteries were difficult for experts in Israel to decipher. He concluded that the roots of this Israeli surprise lie in the view of contempt towards the Arab person, which was planted in the roots of the political and military leadership in Israel, as well as among the general public, and which deepened more and more after the 1967 war.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant contented himself with signing a decision last night to deport the settler Elisha (Elisha) Yared from the West Bank for a period of 6 months.

Wiard is an extremist right-wing settler known for his hostility to the Palestinians. He participated in the killing of the martyr Qusay Maatan in the village of Burqa, near Ramallah, several months ago.

Yared, a former political activist in the Jewish Power Party led by Itamar Ben Gvir, was subjected to an investigation by the Shin Bet and the Israeli police for his participation in the crime.

On Friday, Israeli repressive forces stormed Section 5 of Raymond Prison.

According to the Prisoners' Club, these forces carried out searches inside a group of rooms in the prison.

The prison administration closed the rest of the departments.

Prisoners in the occupation prisons are subjected to a widespread campaign of repression and repeated attacks.

Last night, the Israeli army imposed a closure on the Palestinian territories, under the pretext of Jewish holidays.

According to an Israeli military spokesman, the closure began at midnight last night and will end Saturday-Sunday night, due to Sukkot.

He pointed out that crossings with the Gaza Strip will return to normal on Sunday, and the complete closure of the West Bank will be lifted on the morning of the same day.

A young Palestinian was injured, at dawn on Friday, after Israeli occupation forces opened fire on a vehicle near the "Beit El" settlement, north of Ramallah.

According to local sources, the young man suffered moderate injuries, and was transferred for treatment to a hospital in Ramallah.

On Thursday, the International Atomic Energy Agency raised the status of Palestine in the agency, approved its designation, and granted it more privileges and rights.

This came at the 67th session of the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The resolution received a majority vote of (92) countries, with (21) countries abstaining from voting and only (5) countries opposed.

The majority of the Arab countries, the Group of 77, China and Turkey sponsored the resolution, and the Arab Republic of Egypt submitted the draft resolution on behalf of the sponsoring countries.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates welcomed the decision, stressing that it is continuing to work to confirm not only the name of the State of Palestine, but also all the privileges due to reach full membership in the aforementioned agency.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Thursday that China seeks to become the "dominant power" in the world at the expense of the United States, repeating Beijing's warning against creating tension over Taiwan.

While a number of American presidents have previously considered China to be the most prominent strategic challenge to the United States in the long term, American analysts believe that Beijing seeks to limit Washington's influence in Asia more than it seeks solutions in its place on the international scene.

In response to a question about China's intentions during a forum held by The Atlantic magazine, Blinken said, "I think what it wants is to become the dominant power in the world, militarily, economically, and diplomatically."

He added, "This is what (Chinese President) Xi Jinping seeks," who has been leading the country for more than ten years.

He continued, "This is not surprising. China has an amazing history... I believe that if you see and listen to Chinese leaders, they are seeking to regain what they believe is their rightful place in the world."
Blinken previously spoke of a Chinese desire to “rewrite the global order.”

The administration of President Joe Biden has adopted a two-faced approach towards China, stressing that it represents a strategic challenge to it and carefully monitoring its actions, but it has strengthened dialogue with it on several issues with the aim of better managing the tension between them. Officials from the two countries held high-level meetings with a third party during the past months, while Blinken made a rare visit to Beijing in June.

The contentious issues vary between the two countries, the most prominent of which is Taiwan, the autonomous island that China considers an integral part of its territory and pledges to return by force if necessary. Beijing has increased its pressure on the island in recent months, especially by intensifying military maneuvers in its vicinity.

Blinken said concerns about Taiwan were "exceptionally high" because of its contribution to the global economy, including semiconductor production.

He continued, "If there is a crisis regarding Taiwan as a result of Chinese steps, we will be facing a global economic crisis... I think that the message that China is increasingly hearing from different countries around the world is do not cause problems."

He stressed, "We want, everyone wants, peace and stability, and everyone wants to maintain the status quo."

On the other hand, the US State Department said in a report Thursday that China is spending billions of dollars for the purpose of “media disinformation” internationally, warning that this may lead to restrictions on freedom of expression in various places around the world.

The report considered that "China's global manipulation of information is not only a matter of public diplomacy (pursued by Beijing), but rather a challenge to the credibility of the information field."

She warned that if this matter was not confronted, “Beijing’s efforts could produce a future in which technology exported by the People’s Republic of China, entrenched local governments, and fear of a direct response from Beijing cause a sharp curtailment of global freedom of expression.”

The report accused Beijing of spending billions annually to "manipulate information" through propaganda, media disinformation, and censorship, in exchange for promoting positive news about China and the ruling Communist Party.

He pointed out that China, in return, is suppressing information that contradicts its view on thorny issues such as Taiwan, human rights, and its slowing domestic economy.

He believed that China's approach to misinformation includes promoting "digital tyranny," exploiting international organizations, and imposing control over Chinese-speaking media.

The final statement of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee to Coordinate International Aid to the Palestinian People (AHLC Donors’ Meeting) said that “prospects for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remain far-fetched, and the building of the Palestinian state cannot be completed until a political solution to the conflict is reached and an end to the occupation.”

The statement issued today, Thursday, by the chair of the donor meeting, Norwegian Foreign Minister Anneken Hottfeld, which was held last week in New York with the participation of Prime Minister Mohamed Shtayyeh, and in the presence of 40 representatives of countries and international institutions, added that “30 years have passed since the signing of the Oslo Accord Declaration.” “The Palestinians have made great achievements in building public institutions, with significant political and financial support from donors, in line with the common goal of achieving an independent Palestinian state, in the context of the two-state solution.”

The statement added: However, the issues of “permanent status in the Oslo Accords remain unresolved,” calling on Israel to lift the restrictions imposed on the movement of Palestinians, especially in Gaza and Area C. Stopping settlement construction in the West Bank; And stop arbitrary measures against the Palestinian Authority.

The statement also called on Israel to increase transparency regarding deductions from clearance revenues, transfer the value-added tax imposed on trade between Israel and Gaza to the Palestinian Authority, and exempt fuel imports from taxes.

The statement also called on Israel to approve water and sanitation projects, strengthen infrastructure and deliver the necessary materials for the central water desalination plant in Gaza, in addition to strengthening the implementation of the Principles Agreement for 4th and 5th generation networks.

On the other hand, the statement welcomed the comprehensive reform efforts led by the government, calling for the continuation of these efforts with the support of donors in various sectors, especially with regard to the wage bill, the health sector, and net lending, as well as the adoption of the hydrocarbon law, the establishment of the natural gas company, and others.

The statement also called on the international community to increase financial and other types of assistance to the Palestinians, including budget support to strengthen the Palestinian Authority and its reform efforts, as well as for UNRWA and urgent needs on the ground.

The statement stressed that "all actors must renew their efforts to build the Palestinian state and chart the path towards ending the conflict."

On Thursday evening, Israeli occupation forces stormed the town of Al-Auja, north of Jericho, leading to confrontations with citizens.

According to local sources, the occupation forces fired stun grenades and toxic tear gas towards citizens, but no injuries were reported.

Two young Palestinians were injured by live bullets, Thursday evening, during confrontations that broke out with the Israeli occupation forces, in the town of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron.

Media activist in the town, Muhammad Awad, told WAFA that the occupation forces stormed the Al-Dhahr area near the “Kermei Tzur” settlement, which was built on citizens’ lands, and as a result, violent confrontations broke out during which the soldiers fired live bullets and poison gas bombs.

He added that two young men were injured by live bullets in the thigh and knee, and they were transferred to one of the medical centers in the town to receive treatment, and their injuries were described as moderate.

The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces announced on Thursday that the person arrested in the shooting incident at the US Embassy near Beirut was a delivery service worker, and he wanted “revenge” after being subjected to an “insult” by one of the embassy’s security personnel about two months ago.

On the night of September 20, the detainee (26 years old) fired several bullets at the wall of the embassy building in Awkar, north of Beirut, without causing any injuries. He then managed to escape, before being arrested five days later in the southern suburb of Beirut.

The Internal Security Forces said in their statement that he confessed during his interrogation to firing shots at the embassy. He justified this by his desire for “revenge” after he was “insulted” by a security officer at the embassy, while delivering a food order about two months ago.

According to the statement, the detainee took an internal road that enabled him to reach the main entrance of the embassy, without passing through a nearby Lebanese army checkpoint. He fired several shots at the embassy wall from a Kalashnikov rifle that he had brought from his home and hidden inside a food delivery bag.

The military judiciary is investigating the incident. Preliminary investigations showed, according to what a security source reported to Agence France-Presse last week, that the shooter fired 15 bullets towards the embassy, a number of which hit its iron gate.

The area surrounding the US Embassy complex is witnessing strict security measures, mainly undertaken by the Lebanese Army. Washington is currently building a huge complex in the same area to move the embassy there.

The shooting coincided with the thirty-ninth anniversary of a car bombing that targeted an embassy building in Awkar in 1984, killing 11 people and wounding dozens. Washington held the Lebanese Hezbollah, supported by Tehran, responsible for it.

The embassy moved to this town in 1984 after its previous building in the Ain al-Marisseh area in western Beirut was exposed to a massive suicide truck bombing on April 18, 1983, which killed 63 people. The attack was claimed by an organization calling itself "Islamic Jihad", which Washington confirmed was linked to Hezbollah.

The Prisoners and Ex-Detainees Affairs Authority reported that the Israeli Occupation Prisons Administration transferred, this evening, Thursday evening, the administrative prisoner on hunger strike, Kayed Al-Fasfus, from Ashkelon isolation to the so-called “Ramla Prison” clinic.

It is noteworthy that the prisoner Fasfous (34 years old), from the town of Dura, south of Hebron, continues his open hunger strike for the 57th day in a row, against the administrative detention decision.

On Thursday, US President Joe Biden will deliver an important speech in Arizona regarding protecting democratic institutions, in a new attack on former President Donald Trump as the competitors intensify their 2024 election battle.

The White House indicated that Biden's speech "will also honor the legacy" of the late Republican US Senator John McCain, who shared the Democratic president's distaste for Trump.

With opinion polls showing close results for them, Biden (80 years old) intensified his attacks on the most likely Republican candidate, Donald Trump, for trying to “destroy” democracy.

Populist business tycoon Trump faces criminal charges for trying to reverse the result of the 2020 election, which his supporters tried to overturn by attacking the Capitol building on January 6, 2021.
A White House official said that Biden's speech in Tempe, Arizona, "will focus on the importance of American institutions in preserving our democracy and the need for continued loyalty to the American Constitution."
He added, "The president will honor his friend and war hero, the late Senator John McCain, whose refusal to abuse power and belief in America set a strong example that can be followed."

Invoking the memory of McCain, a hero of the Vietnam War and a respected American political figure, is a clear attempt by Biden to draw comparisons with the far-right Trump.

McCain greatly disliked Trump, withdrew his support for him in the 2016 elections, and said before his death from brain cancer in 2018 that he did not want him to attend his funeral.

The feeling was mutual, with Trump in 2015 mocking his war hero status.
As for Biden, he gave a speech at McCain's funeral, saying that he "loved him" and that their friendship transcended political differences.

This week, Biden and Trump made separate visits to striking auto workers in Michigan, with the former going to the state on Tuesday to provide support for the strike and the latter speaking the next day in front of a spare parts manufacturing plant in the town of Clinton, a little more than 60 kilometers away. Which Biden visited.

Biden then embarked on a series of campaign events that he used to direct his fire at Trump on the issue of democracy.

Biden said in California on Wednesday evening, “Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans (the “Make America Great Again” movement launched by Trump) are determined to destroy American democracy because they want to destroy institutional structures.”

The speech that Biden will deliver on Thursday comes the day after Trump was absent from the second debate preceding the Republican Party primary elections.

The official spokesman for the US State Department, Matthew Miller, acknowledged on Wednesday that the visa exemption program, which his government had announced Israel’s inclusion in early the same day, and which requires that all Americans be treated equally regardless of their ethnic backgrounds, gives Israel an exception because of its special security needs.

Miller said in his response to the questions of Al-Quds correspondent Shukran regarding the Ministry and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s complete conviction that Israel has fully fulfilled all its obligations to join the visa program, “We are convinced that it (Israel has fulfilled the requirements for joining the Visa Waiver Program, and this is the recommendation) Which Secretary Blinken submitted to the Department of Homeland Security, and which was ultimately decided by Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas.”

Miller added: “Over the past few months, as we have been piloting this program with the government of Israel, we have seen more than a hundred thousand American citizens enter Israel without a visa. This includes tens of thousands of Americans on the Palestinian registry who have traveled to Israel without a visa. However, “We have ongoing monitoring programs that will be implemented for Israel, and as with every other member of the Visa Waiver Program, we will monitor their compliance closely as we move forward.”

When the Al-Quds.com correspondent followed up on the US government’s confirmation that Israel’s behavior towards Palestinian-Americans depends on the standards of conformity with which it deals with Americans of non-Palestinian origins, Miller said: “I said that they met the requirements of the Visa Waiver Program. And as we have discussed many times on this "There are differences, especially with regard to Gaza. We must remember that Gaza is under the control of a foreign terrorist organization. We expect that there will be different procedures," he said, explaining, "We understand that there are different procedures (because of its own security needs), but we looked at the plans and policies that “Israel has put it in place and we have determined that it meets the Visa Waiver Program, but we will continue to monitor their compliance moving forward.”

He did not comment on a question regarding the possibility of Israel abusing the “privacy of its security needs” to impose additional restrictions on Palestinian-American travelers, or whether in this case Washington would remove Israel from the program if these incidents were repeated, saying only, “I do not want to enter into any assumptions.” “Other than saying we monitor ongoing compliance with the program and we have the ability to take steps up to and including excluding people from countries from the program going forward if they fail to remain in compliance.”

In what was considered a major political victory for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who heads the most right-wing and extremist government in the history of Israel, the administration of US President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that Israel had been accepted into the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP), after years of efforts to... This was made by the two governments, “which provides a significant boost to bilateral relations,” according to a joint statement by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Security.

Instead of waiting several months to apply for and secure a visa, in the future, Israelis will only be required to fill out an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) form several days before embarking on a tourist or business trip to the United States for a period of up to 90 days. .

The United States still needs time to prepare its electronic systems for Israel to join the Visa Waiver Program, but Biden administration officials who briefed reporters on Tuesday before the official announcement said they expect those systems to be ready by November 30, 2023.

Multiple Arab-American groups, including the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), condemned in the strongest terms Wednesday Israel's admission into the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP). This decision, taken by the Departments of Homeland Security and State, does not undermine the rights of Americans of Palestinian and Arab descent. Not only does it make Israel's discriminatory practices part of the American program.

According to the first Arab American human rights organization, “Israel has not shown equal treatment towards American citizens, and the two-month assessment conducted by the United States government is completely inadequate.”

The US administration's decision came in the wake of a lawsuit filed by ADC on Tuesday evening, which states that "DHS is not following the law by redefining the meaning of reciprocity, a basic principle of the Visa Waiver Program that requires participating countries to treat all American citizens equally." ".

Israel announced today (Thursday) the signing of an agreement with Germany under which it sold the Arrow-3 missile defense system for 14 billion shekels (about 3.5 billion US dollars), in the largest military deal in the country’s history.

The agreement was signed by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, in Berlin today, according to a statement by the Israeli Ministry of Defense.

In addition, the two ministers signed a joint statement in which they pledged to strengthen bilateral security relations between their countries.

As part of the deal, Germany agreed to an immediate payment of $600 million that Israel will use to start producing Arrow-3 batteries for Germany, according to the statement.

“Our country has developed a relationship that includes the exchange of sensitive intelligence information, knowledge and military capabilities,” Gallant said in the statement.

He added, "Germany has contributed greatly to Israel's security, and today we are proud to contribute to Germany's security as a leading country in Europe and a strategic ally."

The Arrow missile system is a long-range ballistic missile interceptor system that can confront missiles launched towards Israel from anywhere.

Israeli military industries began developing this missile system since the mid-nineties of the last century, with American funding and support, after missiles were launched for the first time towards Israeli territory during the First Gulf War in 1991, when Iraq launched missiles towards Israel that hit some sites there after the American Patriot system failed to intercept them.

Arrow-3 missiles are considered one of Israel's military interception systems, which include Iron Dome, designed to intercept short-range missiles from Gaza, and David's Sling, which is capable of intercepting medium-range missiles.