This Wednesday evening, under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces, settlers stormed citizens’ lands south of Hebron and performed Talmudic rituals.

According to local sources, these forces detained a number of land owners, and the Palestinian News and Information Agency “Wafa” photographer, Mashhour Al-Wahwah.

The sources indicated that a number of armed settlers stormed citizens’ lands in the “Al-Dilba” area south of Hebron, owned by a number of families, and raised the occupation flag over one of the caves, and performed Talmudic rituals there, with the protection of the occupation forces.

On Wednesday evening, the Israeli occupation forces attacked the Red Crescent crew during their storming of the village of Azzun, east of Qalqilya.

According to the Red Crescent, these forces fired a sound bomb under the ambulance and prevented the crew from entering the village.

The occupation forces stormed the village of Azzun and fired poison gas and sound bombs.

The Human Rights Council today held a general debate on its agenda item seven on the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories.

State of Palestine, speaking as an entity concerned, said it was regretful that some politicised the work of the Council due to the wishes of the occupying power.  Today there were more than six million refugees from the State of Palestine, and thousands of people had been killed by Zionist gangs.  The Israeli occupation practices which started in 1967 were becoming more ferocious and barbaric against the State of Palestine.  All States needed to confront this methodology in light of the increasing religious Zionist powers in Israel.  This year commemorated 56 years of Israel as the occupying power.  Civilians, journalists and health workers were being targeted, with 248 people killed this year, and many administrative detention orders issued.  The international community needed to shoulder its historic and legal responsibility to put an end to the occupation. 

Syrian Arab Republic, speaking as a country concerned, pointed to the prolonged apartheid-based colonialism that violated all the norms developed in the field of international human rights and humanitarian law.  Settlement, which was the main feature of the occupation, was designed to consolidate it and violate the principle of the inadmissibility of the occupation of territory by force, created by enabling a coercive environment, including the theft of natural resources, displacement, intimidation and repression, and the creation of a geographic situation that prolonged the occupation.  The occupation of the Syrian Golan was against international law and tantamount to a war crime.  The activities in the occupied Syrian Golan and the occupied Palestinian territory depended on the impunity provided by its main sponsor, the United States, and other Western countries that supported it and covered up the main crimes. 

The President of the Council noted that Israel was not present in the room. 

In the general debate, some speakers expressed serious concern over violations of international human rights law in the occupied Palestinian territory.  Deprivation of the right to self-determination, extrajudicial killings, restrictions on freedom of movement and assembly and illegal settlements were some of glaring manifestations of human rights violations of the Palestinian people.  The situation on the ground continued to deteriorate, as violations of international law by Israel, the occupying power, and settlers persisted. 

Palestinian civilians, including children, continued to be subjected to daily and continuous killings, in addition to the policy of incursions and attacks on Palestinian villages, towns and cities by the Israeli occupation forces and settler herds.  Speakers were also concerned about the forced eviction and displacement of many Palestinian families in East Jerusalem, which could amount to the war crime of forcible transfer.  Colonization, confiscations, house demolitions and forced displacement were illegal under the Fourth Geneva Convention.

A number of speakers also expressed grave concern at the continuing Israeli settlement and related activities, including the expansion of settlements, the expropriation of land, the demolition of houses, and the confiscation and destruction of property, which had changed the physical character and demographic composition of the occupied Palestinian territories and the occupied Syrian Golan.  The occupying power continued to establish colonial settlements, which aimed to forcibly replace Palestinian landowners with new immigrants, in complete defiance of international law, in addition to continuing to enact and legislate more racist colonial laws.

Some speakers said these actions affirmed that the Israeli Government continued to commit the crime of settlement expansion and the deepening of "apartheid", with the aim of closing the door to any opportunity to materialise a Palestinian State on the ground.  They opposed these settlement activities by the Israelis, as well as all projects aimed at annexing parts of the West Bank.  Speakers condemned the continuation of settlement policies and practices in the occupied Syrian Golan, including plans announced in late 2021 to establish and expand new settlements, and the doubling of the number of settlers in the occupied Syrian Golan within five years.

A number of speakers called for an immediate end of all human rights violations, including Israel’s policies aimed at perpetuating the decades long illegal occupation.  The Council and the international community needed to do more to bring an end to the grave violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws in the occupied Palestinian territory and hold perpetrators accountable. 

Some speakers urged the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to allocate necessary resources and support to both the Commission of Inquiry and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories.  Speakers also urged the High Commissioner to release the annual update of the database of business enterprises operating in the occupied Palestinian territories, as mandated by resolution 31/36 and 53/25.

Many speakers emphasized their commitment to strengthening efforts, including active engagement in international initiatives, aimed at ending the Israeli illegal occupation.  The international community needed to continue providing political, economic and humanitarian support to assist the Palestinian people and to bolster their resilience and efforts aimed at achieving their legitimate national aspirations, including their inalienable right to self-determination and freedom in their independent State of Palestine.

A number of speakers rejected the refusal of some States to participate in the general debate on item seven, as the work of this item reflected the commitment of the international community to address Israel's long-standing racist practices and policies against the Palestinian people, in accordance with international values and obligations.  It was important to keep item seven on the agenda of the Council, as it was a vital instrument when it came to documenting violations against the Palestinian people by Israel, the occupying power. 

Some speakers said the allegations directed at Israel had been noted for their perceived bias, with item seven standing as the sole item on the Council's agenda addressed to a specific country.  The Council had been established to promote and protect universal human rights, yet it had a long legacy of disproportionate focus on Israel, exemplified by the item seven discussion.  The Council and the United Nations were continuing a steady drumbeat of demonstration of the world’s only Jewish State.  The disproportionate focus, targeting and singling out of Israel, highly discredited the Council and the United Nations as a whole.  Agenda item seven was ineffective and needed to be removed. 

A number of speakers said today’s session to demonize Israel was simply rhetoric and had a negative impact on Jewish communities around the world.  Jews faced continuous verbal and physical anti-Semitic abuse, regularly linked to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and were attacked by perpetrators who used anti-Israel rhetoric and called for the death of the State of Israel.  A speaker also drew attention to the remains of Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, which were being kept within the Gaza Strip, along with Hisham Al-Sayed and Avera Mengistu, two Israeli civilians with disabilities, who continued to be held in captivity by Palestinian leaders.

Some speakers echoed their unwavering support for the realisation of the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people and reiterated the call for ending the Israeli occupation.  Speakers reaffirmed support for the two State solution according to the pre-1967 borders, based on a free and secure State of Palestine.  They reaffirmed their longstanding solidarity with the Palestinian people and reiterated their support for the realization of their legitimate national aspirations and inalienable rights, including self-determination and freedom in their independent State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Speaking in the discussion were Côte d'Ivoire on behalf of the African Group, Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Venezuela on behalf of a group of countries, Pakistan on behalf of a group of countries, Azerbaijan on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement,  Oman on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Libya on behalf of the Group of Arab States, Luxembourg, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Chile, Malaysia, South Africa, Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan, Morocco, Cuba, Algeria, Senegal, Bolivia, Sudan, China, Brunei Darussalam, Sovereign Order of Malta, Iraq, Bahrain, Libya, Jordan, Kuwait, Türkiye, Egypt, Russian Federation, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, Namibia, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Yemen, Djibouti, Nigeria, Venezuela, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Oman, Mauritania, Ireland, Lebanon, Iran, League of Arab States and Colombia.

Also speaking were State of Palestine: Independent Commission for Human Rights, as well as the following non-governmental organizations: Defense for Children International, Jerusalem Institute of Justice, International Foundation Witnesses Ashoora, World Jewish Congress, Jameh Ehyagaran Teb Sonnati Va Salamat Iranian, B'nai B'rith, Al-Haq, Law in the Service of Man, Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy, Palestinian Return Centre Ltd., Organization for Defending Victims of Violence, Union of Arab Jurists, Palestinian Center for Human Rights, International Organization for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, Stichting Global Human Rights Defense, Coordinating Board of Jewish Organizations, Human Rights and Democratic Participation Center "SHAMS", Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counseling, BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights, International-Lawyers.Org, Institute for NGO Research, Servas International, United Nations Watch, International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, European Center for Law and Justice, Center Europeen pour le droit, le Justice et les droits de l'homme, Youth Parliament for SDG, and Association Ma'onah for Human Rights and Immigration.

On Wednesday evening, Israeli occupation forces attacked a journalist in the Artah suburb, south of Tulkarm.

According to local sources, these forces assaulted journalist Diana Khuwailid while she was covering the storming of the Artah suburb, which led to a fracture in her hand and she was taken to the hospital.

The Network of Arab Water Experts, the National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and the UNESCO Chairs at An-Najah National University organized a conference on water diplomacy in the Arab region in the Jordanian capital, Amman, at the initiative of the UNESCO Chairs at the university, and with funding from UNESCO.

This came with the participation of the Chairman of the National Committee for Education, Culture and Science, Prof. Dr. Ali Zidan, and the head of the Palestinian Water Authority, Engineer Mazen Ghoneim; In addition to experts and officials in the water sector from Arab countries.

The university was represented at the conference by Professor Dr. Saed Al-Khayyat, Director of Scientific Centres, Dr. Anan Jayousi, holder of the UNESCO Chair for Water, Dr. Sanaa Sarghali, holder of the UNESCO Chair for Democracy and Human Rights, and Dr. Johnny Assi, water law expert.

The first session began with a presentation by Dr. Sarghali, who moderated the dialogue in this session, followed by several introductory sessions discussing the importance of water diplomacy in addressing conflicts and ensuring water rights, especially in light of the Israeli occupation and deprivation of the Palestinian people of their water rights.

In his speech, UNESCO representative Dr. Bishr Al-Imam praised the UNESCO chairs at An-Najah University and their role in leading such scientific initiatives, and their contribution to achieving sustainable development and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

At the conclusion of the conference, Dr. Al-Jayousi presented a set of concluding recommendations related to the necessity of activating and unifying the Arab position in negotiating water rights.

Today, Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned in the strongest terms the decision of the Israeli occupation authorities to close Huwwara Street to Palestinian vehicles and allow settler vehicles to pass.

In a statement, the Ministry considered this a submission to the positions of the fascist Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, in which he bragged that the movement of settlers was more important than the freedom of the Palestinians.

She said: “It views this decision with great danger as a policy of isolation and apartheid that divides the West Bank into racist and discriminatory Bantustans, and gives settlers the largest area of the West Bank’s geography to deepen settlement under the pretext of movement and flimsy security pretexts, all of which contribute to the occupation’s policy aimed at annexing the West Bank and imposing Israeli control over more From the Palestinian land.

The ministry added: "The international community's miserable reactions to Ben Gvir's statement at the time, and we believe that they are low and do not rise to the level of the crime of apartheid and the persecution and injustice our people are exposed to."

The Ministry confirmed that the occupying state is continuing to annex the West Bank and impose apartheid and its crimes on our people with shameful international complicity.

During their meeting on Wednesday in Brussels, the ambassadors of the European Union countries reached an agreement on a main text to reform immigration policy in Europe, overcoming Italian reservations, before the bloc’s summit was held on Friday in Spain.

The law being discussed aims to coordinate a joint response in the event of a large influx of migrants into one of the European Union countries, as happened during the 2015-2016 refugee crisis, which allows in particular to extend the duration of the detention of migrants at the bloc’s external borders.

The text announced by the Spanish presidency of the bloc will now have to be negotiated with members of the European Parliament.

The text, the final part of the European Asylum and Migration Charter that requires approval by member states, has faced objections from Germany for several months, on humanitarian grounds.

A consensus was finally reached during a meeting of interior ministers at the end of September, making it possible to obtain Berlin's approval, but Italy then expressed its disapproval.

Its rejection focused on the role of non-governmental organizations in rescuing migrants, according to diplomatic sources, and Rome accuses Berlin of funding many non-governmental relief organizations in the Mediterranean, some of which fly the German flag.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni demanded last week that non-governmental organizations that rescue migrants in the Mediterranean disembark them in countries whose flags are raised on the ships they use.

The consensus adopted on Wednesday was supported by both Italy and Germany.

The European Commission and Spain, which holds the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, have expressed their confidence in the possibility of reaching an agreement before the informal European Council convenes on Friday in Granada (southern Spain). The pressing issue of migration will be at the heart of discussions by heads of state and government.

- Pressure from Parliament -

The impasse surrounding this "crisis solution" sparked frustration within the European Union, in light of the high numbers of migrants arriving at its external borders and the situation on the Italian island of Lampedusa.

The agreement stipulates the establishment of an exceptional system that is less protective of asylum seekers than usual procedures in the event of a “mass” and “unprecedented” influx of migrants.

It extends the possibility of migrants being detained at the EU's external borders for up to 40 weeks, and allows for a faster and simplified examination of asylum applications for a larger number of arrivals (for those coming from countries with a acceptance rate of less than 75 percent), so that they can be returned more easily.

It also provides for the rapid activation of solidarity mechanisms between member states in caring for refugees, especially through the resettlement of asylum seekers or financial contributions.

In July, the meeting failed to reach the majority needed to approve the charter. Germany in particular abstained from the vote due to opposition from the Green Party, a member of the ruling coalition, which demanded the shelter of minors and their families.

In response, and in an effort to put pressure on the member states of the European Union and push them to agree, the European Parliament decided to stop negotiations on two other texts in the immigration file aimed at enhancing security at external borders.

The Spanish Interior Minister, Fernando Grande Marlaska Gomez, confirmed that the agreement reached on Wednesday “represents a major step forward, and we are now in a better position to reach an agreement on the entire Asylum and Migration Charter with Parliament by the end of this semester.”

In any case, this charter, which was presented by the European Commission in September 2020 and which includes about ten pieces of legislation, is supposed to be adopted before the European elections scheduled for June 2024.

On Wednesday, Austria, Slovakia and Czechia abstained from voting, and Poland and Hungary opposed it, according to a diplomatic source.

“We call on Brussels to immediately put an end to this migration policy and forced resettlement quotas,” Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said. “The reason for the increasing migration pressure on Central Europe is entirely due to Brussels,” which “supports the economic model of smugglers.”

The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs sent an official memorandum to the Israeli embassy in Amman, protesting the incursions of settlers and members of the Israeli Knesset into the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, under the protection of the Israeli occupation police, and the imposition of restrictions on worshipers entering the mosque, and allowing extremists to attack and desecrate Islamic graves in the vicinity of the mosque. Mubarak, and the escalating attacks on the Christians of occupied Jerusalem.

The ministry’s official spokesman, Sufyan al-Qudah, said that the memorandum included an emphasis on the necessity of Israel, as the occupying power, to comply with its obligations in accordance with international law, especially international humanitarian law, regarding the occupied city of Jerusalem and its holy sites, especially the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and to refrain from any measures that would prejudice the sanctity of the places. Holy places and putting an end to attempts to change the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its sanctities.

He added that the memorandum reaffirmed that the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, with its entire area of 144 dunams, is a pure place of worship for Muslims, and that the Jerusalem Endowments Administration and the Affairs of the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Endowments, Islamic Affairs and Holy Sanctities, is the legal body with exclusive jurisdiction to manage all the affairs of the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and organize... Enter it.

The Ministry’s official spokesman called on the Israeli government to end all measures aimed at unacceptable interference in the affairs of the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the necessity of respecting the historical and legal situation existing in Jerusalem and its sanctities, and to stop any attempts to undermine it, as the continued violations and attacks on the sanctities warn of further escalation and represent This is a dangerous trend that must be stopped immediately.

The Supreme Presidential Committee for Follow-up of Church Affairs in Palestine condemned the extremist and racist statements of what is known as the extremist Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, about the assault of settlers and their children on some pilgrims as they passed through the Via Dolorosa in the Old City of occupied Jerusalem, as he said, “This is a natural tradition.” Practice it, and it is not a violation.”

The Presidential Committee said in a statement issued by its Chairman, member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Ramzi Khoury, that Ben Gvir’s statements are not just passing words, but rather a real threat to the lives of Christians, and will have dangerous and unexpected consequences, as racist and extremist practices have become openly practiced against everything that is a not Jew, and this is a natural reflection of a government that sponsors terrorism against the Palestinians.

Khoury warned of the escalation of attacks on Christians and Muslims in the alleys of the old country by settler gangs and their seriousness, which could turn into cases of physical assault or murder, calling on the international community and the churches of the world to take immediate and urgent action to stop all forms of extremism practiced by settlers under the protection of the Israeli police. .

It is noteworthy that a number of tourists were subjected to insults and spitting from a number of settlers while they were passing through the Via Dolorosa during the Via Crucis procession. The video clip recorded by the cameras shows the presence of the Israeli occupation authorities during the incident, as they did not do anything or try to prevent these racist and extremist practices.

Today, Wednesday, Israeli police arrested five religious Jewish suspects for spitting on Christians and church doors in the Old City of occupied Jerusalem, according to a statement issued by the police.

The statement indicated that four of the detainees were observed practicing this disgraceful and racist behavior this morning, and one of them was suspected of spitting toward a worker at the entrance to a church, and the fifth detainee was spotted earlier this week.

The police said that three of the detainees were monitored through the police camera network “Mabat 2000” (“Basr 2000”). All detainees were transferred for investigation.

The statement added that the Jerusalem District Police Chief, Doron Turgeman, instructed the formation of a special investigation team to deal with the phenomenon of spitting and manifestations of hatred in the Old City against Christians, and to expand operational police activities, integrate technological means, and research into making changes that would allow imposing fines on those who practice this racist behavior.

Turgeman said, according to the statement, “We will not tolerate expressions of hatred towards anyone, Jews, Muslims and Christians, in the Old City and anywhere else in Jerusalem. Violence and hatred towards others take place in various forms. Unfortunately, we are witnessing the continuation of this despicable and hideous phenomenon of manifestations of hatred towards Christians.” In the Old City of Jerusalem, especially by extremists spitting on the ground while passing by them.”

He added, "Those who do this suffer from a problem in education, awareness, and respect for others first, and we condemn this hideous phenomenon that affects the special fabric of life in this region, which includes visitors, worshipers, and hikers of all religions."

A video released by the police shows a number of detainees during a march in the Old City of Jerusalem, led by the brother of the Chairman of the Law and Constitution Committee in the Knesset, Simcha Rotman, who also participated in the march. Another video shows one of them spitting toward a Christian kiosk owner selling crosses. , Today morning.

Yesterday, Elisha Yereid, former spokesman for Knesset member Limor Son Har Melech from the Otzma Yehudit party, who is accused of involvement in the killing of the martyr Qusay Matan in the village of Burqa, supported the disgraceful and racist behavior, and wrote on the “X” platform that “this is a good time to remind that “The custom of spitting near monks or churches is an ancient Jewish custom.”

Later, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced this phenomenon, and claimed that “Israel is fully committed to preserving the sacred right to worship and pilgrimage to the holy sites of all religions, and I strongly denounce any attempt to harm worshipers, and we will implement immediate and firm steps against these actions. This behavior Hostility against worshipers is blasphemy and unacceptable to reason, and we will show zero tolerance towards any harm to worshipers.”

Today, Wednesday, the Israeli occupation authorities prevented citizens from working and reclaiming their agricultural lands along the New Jerusalem-Hebron Street, near the town of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron.

According to local sources, the occupation forces prevented farmer Sami Al-Allami from working and reclaiming his agricultural land in the “Wadi Al-Sheikh” area of the town of Beit Ummar, adjacent to the New Jerusalem-Hebron Street, and seized a digger.

The sources added that these forces informed the farmer of the prohibition of work and reclamation at a depth of 600 meters of the street, which deprives a large number of the town’s families from reclaiming their lands along more than two kilometers of town land adjacent to that street, which is estimated at hundreds of dunums.

The Prisoner's Club said today, Wednesday, that the Gilboa prison administration had removed the general director of the Fatah movement in Gilboa prison, the prisoner Hossam Youssef Omar, after the massive raid carried out by the repressive forces into sections (1 and 3), with the participation of a minister. Israeli National Security Agency, Itamar Ben Gvir, and the ensuing confrontation inside the prison.

The Prisoners' Club pointed out that there is a state of tension witnessed in various prisons, in light of the escalating aggression against prisoners, including storming, transferring, and isolating, and the continuing attempt of the occupation government and its fascist minister to impose measures that affect the prisoners' achievements and rights.

It is noteworthy that the prisoner Omar, from Tulkarm, has been sentenced to 35 years in prison, and has been detained since 2002. During his years of detention, he was subjected to isolation for several years and went on a hunger strike against his isolation, and three of his brothers were subjected to arrest.

The Prisoners' Club held the occupation prison administration fully responsible for the fate of prisoner Omar and all the prisoners in Gilboa prison.

Today, Wednesday, the Israeli occupation forces arrested a wounded young Palestinian from the town of Zababdeh, south of Jenin.

According to local sources, the occupation forces arrested the wounded young Palestinian, Ammar Farah Hassan Al-Far (24 years old), after raiding his house and tampering with its contents.

It is noteworthy that the detainee Ammar was injured by Israeli occupation bullets three months ago, which led to the amputation of part of his leg, and he is still receiving treatment.

Turkish security forces today (Wednesday) arrested at least 37 people suspected of having links to the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party and "neutralized" two others, as part of anti-terrorism operations, according to the Turkish Interior Minister.

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerli Kaya said on the social media platform “X” that “two terrorists who were being searched for under an arrest warrant were neutralized when they tried to escape across the border in the Ağrı province in the east of the country.”

The Turkish authorities usually use the word “neutralize” in their statements to indicate that the aforementioned “terrorists” surrendered, were killed, or were arrested.

Today, Wednesday, the Israeli occupation forces stormed the village of Jalboun, northeast of Jenin, amidst the firing of stun grenades and toxic tear gas. Settlers also carried out orgies near the homes of citizens in the village, forcing the male secondary school there to suspend classes.

According to local sources, the occupation forces stormed the village, fired tear gas and sound bombs in the village center square towards the citizens, and are still seizing the house of one of the citizens, which they turned into a military barracks for the fifth day in a row.

The sources explained that the occupation forces placed barbed wire and fired tear gas bombs at citizens and school students approaching the house adjacent to the boys’ school, indicating that classes were not scheduled today.

The sources added that dozens of settlers from the “Merav” settlement, built on the village lands, adjacent to the homes, carried out a provocative march along the wall, carried out orgies, chanted racist slogans against Arabs, and performed Talmudic rituals under the protection of the Israeli occupation army.

Today, Wednesday, a group of settlers, accompanied by Israeli occupation forces, stormed the “Dar Al-Dharb” archaeological site in the town of Qarawat Bani Hassan, west of Salfit.

According to local sources, a number of settlers stormed the area amid strict military measures by the occupation forces, closing the site and the roads leading to it.

Today, Wednesday, Israeli occupation forces closed shops in the center of the town of Huwwara, south of Nablus.

According to local sources, the occupation forces forced shop owners to close them, amid an intense deployment of the occupation army on the main road in the town.

The Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs said that the attacks by Israeli extremists on Muslims and Christians in Jerusalem are tantamount to a declaration of religious war.

Jerusalem Affairs added in a press statement on Wednesday, “The extremist settlers are desecrating the occupied city of Jerusalem and its sanctities and blatantly attacking Muslim and Christian worshipers and with the protection of the occupation police.”

She continued: "In no way can we accept the justifications for celebrating Jewish holidays to religiously persecute Muslims and Christians, whether through the hateful raids on Al-Aqsa Mosque or attacks on churches and Christians."

She pointed out that the attacks on Muslims and Christians and their sanctities in Jerusalem have not stopped since the Israeli occupation in 1967, but their pace has increased significantly in recent years, specifically since the formation of the current Israeli government.

She said: “Right-wing Israeli extremist groups, supported by the occupation government, use Jewish holidays as a cover to desecrate Al-Aqsa Mosque through raids and the performance of Talmudic rituals, in an attempt to create a new reality in the mosque that undermines the existing historical and legal status of the mosque from its foundations.”

She added: "What is happening in Al-Aqsa Mosque is the implementation of what is called temporal and spatial division, where worshipers are prevented and are attacked by beatings and arrests, at a time when extremists' storming of the mosque and performing their Talmudic rituals in and around it is facilitated."

She continued: "We renew the call for immediate international intervention to stop the incursions, provocations and attacks into Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surroundings and to respect the historical and legal status existing in the mosque as it was on the eve of the occupation in 1967 and not as the right-wing Israeli government wants."

The Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs also condemned the increasing frequency of attacks by Israeli extremists on church property and on Christians, local and foreign, in the city of Jerusalem.

She said: "These attacks would not have increased without the right-wing incitement and the silence of the occupation police and their turning a blind eye to them."

She stressed that "the Israeli extremist right-wing groups and movements are pushing, with their words and actions, a religious war that we do not want, and the Israeli government will bear responsibility for its repercussions."

Senator Ben Cardin, the new chairman of the US Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, blocked military aid to Egypt worth $235 million due to Cairo's human rights record, in a move that comes after the judiciary brought corruption charges against his predecessor, Bob Menendez, in a bribery case linked to Egypt.

The Democratic senator said in a statement that he informed Secretary of State Anthony Blinken that he would not release these funds unless Cairo made “tangible progress in the field of human rights.”

He added, "I believe it is necessary that we continue to hold the Egyptian government and all governments accountable for their human rights violations."

Cardin stressed that aid will continue to be withheld from Egypt “if it does not take concrete, purposeful and sustainable steps to improve the human rights situation in the country.”

The Senator specifically called on the Egyptian authorities to issue an amnesty to a larger number of political prisoners, whose number is estimated at 60,000 in this country.

He also demanded that Egypt undertake significant reforms in pre-detention procedures and provide more space for the political opposition, civil society and independent media.

The US State Department announced last September that it had agreed to provide military aid to Egypt for the next year worth $1.215 billion, despite Washington's concerns about human rights in the Arab country.

The action taken by Cardin relates to $235 million, the release of which Congress had linked to progress in the field of human rights.

This is the third year in a row that President Joe Biden's administration has waived some restrictions imposed by Congress on annual military aid allocated to Egypt.

The Democratic administration agreed to these concessions despite Biden's pledge to make human rights a basic pillar of US foreign policy.

Egypt has become a major beneficiary of US military aid since its historic decision in 1980 to become the first Arab country to normalize its relations with Israel.

The military aid package consists of an unrestricted part worth $980 million.

The other part, worth $235 million, is contingent on Egypt making progress in the field of human rights, and this is the part that Senator Cardin blocked.

Blinken did not acknowledge that Egypt met these conditions in order to benefit from this amount, but he nevertheless refused to deprive it of this money on the grounds of protecting American national security interests.

However, Blinken withheld another sum of $85 million from Egypt and linked his release to Cairo’s release of political prisoners.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi launched a “national dialogue” with the opposition that he suppressed after coming to power, and in April 2022 he began releasing political prisoners.

But "the pace has slowed significantly" this year, according to what a US official said.

According to this official, who requested to remain anonymous, Egypt has witnessed an increase in “politically motivated arrests.”

"We had very difficult conversations with the Egyptians about our concerns about human rights at all levels," he added.

There are thousands of political prisoners in Egypt currently.

The Presidential Pardon Commission released a thousand people in one year, but “three times that number were arrested” at the same time, according to non-governmental organizations.

Today, Wednesday, the Israeli occupation forces detained the director and teachers of the Shaab al-Buttam Mixed Basic School at the entrance to the village of al-Tuwanah in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron.

According to local sources, the occupation forces detained for an hour and a half the director of Shaab al-Batm Mixed Basic School, Arif Abu Karsh, and a number of school teachers at a military checkpoint they set up at the entrance to the village of al-Tuwanah, east of Yatta, and searched their vehicles and checked their ID cards.

It is noteworthy that Shaab Al-Buttam Mixed Basic School is one of the schools of challenge and steadfastness, and more than 50 students receive education, and the occupation authorities had notified it of its demolition in early August of last year.

The day before yesterday, the occupation forces obstructed the arrival of teachers and students to 27 schools east of Yatta, south of Hebron.

Hebrew Radio Kan reported on Wednesday morning that the so-called Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, repeated his request to reduce visits to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.

According to the Hebrew Radio, this came during his visit to Gilboa prison.

The channel indicated that Ben Gvir promised to transfer this request again to the Israeli mini-cabinet.

Ben Gvir stormed the prison, accompanied by Israeli repressive forces, and they used sound bombs amid a widespread search of the prisoners’ rooms.

Today, Wednesday, settlers, protected by Israeli occupation forces, stormed the vicinity of the Solomon’s Pools tourist area, south of Bethlehem.

According to local sources, a number of settlers stormed the vicinity of the third pool, specifically the Al-Atan area, and spread out in the area.

The sources added that citizens tried to confront the settlers and confrontations broke out with the occupation forces.

It is noteworthy that the Suleiman Pools tourist area and the surrounding area have been subjected to violations by the occupation forces and settlers for some time, the last of which occurred three days ago.

Hardly a day goes by without the occupation and the settlers taking the lead, seizing land, expanding settlements, and harassing our patient and steadfast people. On the other hand, what we hear most of the official Arab reactions is condemnation and denunciation, waiting for new settlement and the repetition of these condemnations, and all these millions remain... Arabia, the vast lands, and the enormous wealth, are like someone who has no power or strength.

Jewish extremists repeatedly and permanently storm the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is the first of the two qiblahs and the third of the Two Holy Mosques. Despite this, the Arab and Islamic responses in general do not go beyond condemnation and denunciation, and our people and virtuous women remain at the forefront, defending with all their capabilities and abilities their sanctities, their land, their rights and their future.

Yesterday, hundreds of Jewish extremists stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque, led by the extremely extremist and racist Glick, on the occasion of the celebration of the third day of what they call “Throne Day.” The Israeli police attacked the men and women stationed in Bab al-Silsilah and arrested a number of them, and they were the ones who tried with all their abilities to defend Al-Aqsa, its squares, and the land. And the future.

Prime Minister Dr. said. Muhammad Shtayyeh said that there is an Israeli attempt to annex the areas called (C), even though they are an integral part of the Palestinian territories, but this justification will not prevent the occupation from seizing them, because East Jerusalem and all parts of the West Bank are Palestinian lands, and despite this, occupation and Judaization are colonial acts that do not stop. .

The government has formed a ministerial committee to consolidate sovereignty over Area C and has allocated 100 million shekels for Jerusalem hospitals through funding from international partners. This committee will discuss following up on investment issues in Palestine, especially in government lands, and attracting Palestinians in general and immigrants in particular for this purpose.

Palestinian steadfastness is very important and influential, but it remains less than what is required, because its financial capabilities are limited, especially with the many difficulties practiced by the occupation. The Arab role, with all its financial capabilities, social capabilities, and enormous geographical locations, remains the first, effective, and influential factor, and our steadfastness remains our strongest weapon in every situation. We are steadfast and adhere to all rights..!!

Saudi Arabia today, as a leading country in the Arab and Islamic worlds, is perhaps more aware than others of the importance of taking the reins of the region towards “peace” and “development,” but not at the expense of the rights of the Palestinian people, which is what His Highness the Crown Prince confirmed in his recent interview with the American Fox News channel, saying, “ “There is no peace with the Israelis at the expense of the Palestinians.”

In continuation of last week’s article, “Efforts to Revitalize the Peace Process in the Middle East,” I find it important to review what was stated in the Saudi Council of Ministers (last Tuesday), which was chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which stated, “The Council looks forward to the contribution of efforts to revitalize the peace process.” The peace initiative launched by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the League of Arab States, and the European Union, in cooperation with the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, to achieve security and stability in the Middle East region, through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the decisions of legitimacy. International and Arab Peace Initiative. The extremist right-wing Israeli government, led by its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, must say that one of the political rules regulating the world of politics today is based on the principle of “violence begets violence” and “peace begets security, stability, and prosperity.” According to this principle, I read much of what the Western and Israeli press wrote on the face of it. In particular, they see Israel today as a historic opportunity and an Arab political climate supportive of the just peace process. Provided that the bleeding of recent developments on the ground is stopped. Our need today to revitalize the peace process is based on a coordinated approach to encourage all parties to implement political and reform transformations, and to address the main factors that fuel the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. I will be more clear: resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict is a fundamental interest of the entire region, and this will only be achieved with a two-state solution and the existence of an independent, viable and contiguous Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel and its other neighbors. The meaning of the previous context is that a lasting solution must be achieved on the basis of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, the Madrid Principles including land for peace, the road map, the agreements previously reached by the two parties and the Arab Peace Initiative. If an agreement is reached to end the conflict once and for all, the door will open to deepen and strengthen cooperation between all countries in the region. Although the previous meeting held in New York, on the sidelines of the work of the United Nations General Assembly in its 78th session, headed by Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Foreign Minister, and in the presence of representatives of about 70 countries and international organizations, has nothing to do with the final status negotiations, it is considered a factor. Motivating the return of the parties to the conflict to the path of the peace process, giving a realistic vision of what the situation could be like in the Middle East region, and benefiting everyone - without exception - from the security, political, economic and social benefits that prevail on the map of the region. It is a goal that everyone desires, and it is an opportunity for makers. The Israelis' decision to accept the facts and not be stubborn towards the ideas of the extreme right, which is losing its legitimacy at the internal Israeli and international levels.

Saudi Arabia today, as a leading country in the Arab and Islamic worlds, is perhaps more aware than others of the importance of taking the reins of the region towards “peace” and “development,” but not at the expense of the rights of the Palestinian people, which is what His Highness the Crown Prince confirmed in his recent interview with the American Fox News channel, saying, “ "There is no peace with the Israelis at the expense of the Palestinians."

I conclude with a very important article written by Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Vice-President of the European Commission for a stronger Europe in the world, and published in the first quarter of this year, in which he mentioned some main points, in which he stated: “Many will fall.” of victims every week in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, and millions live in fear and despair, while the world's response is limited to many statements and few measures. In order to succeed, we must first be honest with each other and with ourselves... When the Israelis depend on their state and their army, The Palestinians have no such recourse. This huge disparity in the ability to control one’s destiny is evident at every checkpoint, and these facts constitute obstacles to peace. May you be well.

Still... there is a wide-ranging discussion about the issue of Saudi-Israeli normalization, and this discussion is not devoid of the Palestinian issue. Is it essential to the matter of normalization? Or is it less than that?

Saudi reassurances to the Palestinians in direct meetings and in official statements indicate that the solution according to the Arab Peace Initiative, and towards the two-state solution, is at the heart of the process, and this is supported by American statements at several levels to this effect.

However, Israel has another statement through which it seeks to show that the Palestinian issue is not essential to the process. Many have even considered it a burden on normalization. There is a discussion about how to get rid of it!!

Given that the normalization process is still within the framework of negotiations between the three concerned parties, prior estimates of the results remain mere judgments, and this raises for discussion a fundamental question in return, which is: Is the issue a burden on Saudi Arabia or an asset? The instigators, who are pushing for Saudi abandonment of it, have gone so extreme as to consider the Palestinian people a heavy burden on the Kingdom, and that the financial and political support it provides to this people is unnecessary, and that the Saudi people are more deserving of it. The peak of the extremes in this direction was an article published in the form of a letter to Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the conclusion of which is: It is in the Kingdom’s interest to bypass the Palestinian issue and go to normalization with Israel without it, with justifications that included an insult to the people and their sacrifices with what was portrayed as being merely offered to them. Charitable work is met with disobedience and denial!

Saudi policy towards the Palestinians, from the beginning of their catastrophe until the beginning of talk about normalization with Israel, was an objective policy dictated by the political, moral and moral interests of the major state. If this is considered a waste and misplaced support, then this is a matter that entails a grave insult to the Kingdom, as if it is improvising its policies, in a way that contradicts the interests of its people. The Kingdom has white hands towards the Palestinians that cannot be denied, nor should it be underestimated. The Palestinians have a contribution to building, which the Kingdom does not deny from the beginning of its founding until Our days...

King Salman, may God prolong his life, was directly responsible for supporting the Palestinians, their people, cause and revolution. He never dealt with the Palestinians as beggars or interlopers, but rather dealt with them with all respect and responsibility, opening the doors of the Kingdom to them to work and to contribute with their Saudi brothers in all fields. Fate wants the file of Saudi-Israeli normalization to be opened while King Salman is in his position and position, and his son appointed by him leads with great efficiency the most important internal Saudi change and development process, and with the same importance runs an effective policy at the regional and global levels.

What happens in closed rooms remains the property of those sitting there, until the conclusions are officially announced, either by agreement or separation.

An issue that must be paid attention to, before the final announcement, is that what is said through the media, especially by Israel, is not objective, but rather directed to serve its agenda based on the principle of taking a lot in exchange for giving a little, without being separated from the desire to offer nothing!

It is consistent with the Israeli agenda in this direction. Some voices, albeit few, promote the idea that the Palestinian issue is a burden on Saudi Arabia, which it must get rid of by going ahead with the normalization process, even if it requires removing the issue from the agenda. It is said to justify this that it is a difficult and complex issue. And that adhering to it prevents the achievement of special Saudi interests, which is the fundamental reason, as they say, for the idea of ​​normalization at all.

This makes us put the Palestinian issue in the bilateral and tripartite normalization negotiations currently underway, in its rightful weight and place, and greatly harms the Kingdom in considering it a burden that must be eliminated, as it is, in fact, a card of heavy caliber, with which the Kingdom is armed in a way that provides it with strength in addition to its own, integrated strength. With its Arab, Islamic and international alliances, which it sees as a fundamental issue that it puts much more pressure on than it is pressured on, the Kingdom that has the Arab Peace Initiative is not alone in taking a position different from the positions of its Arab and Muslim brothers, and it does not contradict the international consensus related to the Palestinian issue, but rather works in harmony with it. In accordance with its political and moral determinants and the clear texts of its decisions in this direction.

While the Kingdom places the Palestinian issue at the heart of its agendas, it is a modern state that makes its policies using modern means as well. It realizes the historical and strategic significance of the fact that it is working on a settlement that it is satisfied with, its Arab and Palestinian brothers, and the entire world are satisfied with.

A settlement for a long-term tragedy and an opponent who is committing the most heinous crimes against the Palestinian person, his rights and his property, in a way that badly affects his present and future.

The Kingdom's story with the Palestinians is its story with all the peoples to whom it has provided so much over the decades. It suffices us, and even satisfies us, the always declared Saudi interpretation of the Kingdom’s relationship with the Palestinian issue, as all the kings said, “They are acting in accordance with the will of the founder, King Abdul Aziz, may God have mercy on him, towards Palestine, its cause, and its people.”

The Kingdom, which occupies its true position in international life, as a fundamental power, realizes the importance of the Palestinian issue, and does not see it as a burden on it, and everything Saudi Arabia does contradicts that.

In a historical precedent that has never occurred since the founding of the United States, the US House of Representatives voted to dismiss its Republican Speaker, Kevin McCarthy (from California).

The Council voted by a majority of 216 representatives, including all Democratic members of the Council, and six Republican members, compared to 210 representatives, all from the Republican Party, who voted to oppose McCarthy's impeachment.

Meanwhile, Patrick McHenry (from North Carolina) was appointed interim President of the Council, until another candidate from the Republican Party is chosen. The position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives comes third at the top of the American ruling political pyramid, after the President and Vice President.

The action came after Republican Representative Matthew Gates (from Florida), who represents the far-right faction of the party, on Monday submitted a memorandum “declaring the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives vacant.”

A day after McCarthy relied on Democratic votes to keep the government funded for at least 45 days, Representative Gaetz, who submitted the memo, said Sunday that he would not back down from his resolve.

“I think we need to move forward with new leadership that can be trustworthy,” Gaetz said on CNN, adding, “Look, the one thing everyone has in common is that no one trusts (Council Speaker) Kevin McCarthy.”

It is noteworthy that Representative Gaetz had managed to secure a group of about 20 representatives who forced McCarthy to go through 15 rounds of voting last January before he was elected Speaker of the House, during which they obtained concessions, including changes to the rules to allow any member of the House of Representatives to call. To vote to remove the Speaker of the Council, which is exactly what they did.

According to experts, had it not been for this concession, McCarthy may not have been able to secure his position in the first place after 15 rounds of voting at the beginning of Congress’ work last January.

Former Representative Mark Meadows, a Republican from North Carolina, in 2015 took the measure against then-House Speaker John Boehner, also a Republican, but Boehner resigned before the vote was called.

On Saturday, McCarthy's adoption of a bipartisan agreement to avoid a US government shutdown led to a Republican rebellion in Florida.

The Washington Post believes that the Democrats played a major role in expelling McCarthy, explaining that they actually considered voting with a majority to help McCarthy retain his position, but in the end they decided not to do so, and every Democrat present voted against McCarthy.

For those who voted against McCarthy, the newspaper explained that it was a strange alliance that included eight far-right Republicans and all the Democrats in the House of Representatives present.

Today, Wednesday, the repressive forces of the Occupation Prisons Administration, led by Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir, stormed Section 3-1 of Gilboa Prison and began hitting sound bombs and conducting searches in a group of rooms.

According to the Prisoners' Club, the prison administration has closed the sections until now, and a state of tension prevails in the prison.

The Hebrew newspaper Haaretz reported, on Wednesday, that Minister in the Israeli Defense Ministry, Bezalel Smotrich, excludes the legal advisor responsible for the West Bank within the Military Prosecutor’s Office, and refrains from inviting him and the commission’s officers to any sensitive discussions regarding settlement construction in the West Bank.

According to the newspaper, Smotrich takes the opinion of the Deputy Legal Advisor in the Ministry of the Israeli Defense Forces, who is a settler, researcher and former lawyer in settlement forums. He is responsible for the settlement issue in the Ministry, along with a group of legal experts working in the Ministry’s settlements administration.

In recent months, they have taken several controversial decisions that Smotrich took regarding expanding settlements, despite the opposition expressed by the legal advisor to the Military Prosecution.

Even before Smotrich's arrival, the Legal Advisory Board in the Military Prosecutor's Office was the legal authority that determined everything related to the compliance of the civil administration and Israeli army officers in the West Bank with the rules of international law and Supreme Court rulings.

Although it was agreed with the formation of the current government that legal advice would be provided by the same body, none of its members have been invited for months, as decisions are made only by Smotrich and his men, some of whom lack legal experience in the international laws of war.

The Labour Party’s commitment entails extending an invitation to the head of the General Delegation of Palestine, allowing them to present their credentials as an Ambassador to New Zealand.

This action would align New Zealand with the prevailing sentiment observed at the United Nations, where 139 out of 193 member states have already recognized Palestine’s sovereignty.

Advocacy organizations like Justice for Palestine and Alternative Jewish Voices have expressed their support for this commitment.

In the 2020 election, the Labor Party secured half of the total votes, resulting in a significant boost in its representation in the House of Representatives, with a total of 65 seats.

This historic win marked the first time since 1996 that a single party had obtained enough seats to govern without a coalition.

Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made the announcement of her resignation in January and her successor, Chris Hipkins, assumed the role of party leader and prime minister.

Hipkins held a meeting with Izzat Salah Abdulhadi in February, who serves as the head of the General Delegation of Palestine to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific.

While New Zealand has not officially recognized Palestine as a sovereign state, it has consistently condemned the Israeli occupation.

Additionally, New Zealand has been a strong advocate for the two-state solution.

Justice for Palestine spokesperson, Neil Ballantyne, said:

“It’s great to see the Labour Party joining the Green Party in making a commitment to recognize Palestine if elected. In doing so they are continuing Aotearoa New Zealand’s tradition of taking independent and principled stances on foreign policy issues from nuclear free to standing up against apartheid.”

“We have faith that just as ordinary New Zealanders were not prepared to stand by in silence while the South African government maintained an apartheid regime, we will not be silent while Palestinians suffer similar indignities and will reward those politicians who are taking this courageous stance,” he continued.

The Hebrew newspaper Haaretz reported on Wednesday that Qatar has not yet decided whether it will increase economic aid to the Gaza Strip, as part of moves aimed at calming tension in the Strip.

According to the newspaper, the Hamas movement recently sent letters to Qatar demanding increased support for the residents of the Gaza Strip.

The newspaper quoted a source familiar with the talks as saying that there has not yet been any decision regarding the possibility of Qatar increasing its financial aid, stressing that the issue is under discussion.

The source expected that Israel would soon announce a significant increase in the workers’ quota, gradually over a period of time.

Meanwhile, another source familiar with the negotiations said that Israel will not announce an increase in the number of workers in the near future.

According to the newspaper, these moves aim to prevent escalation with the Gaza Strip in light of the economic hardship faced by the residents of the Strip.

An Israeli source told the Hebrew newspaper that the violent demonstrations on the border fence were a step aimed at obtaining economic benefits, and did not indicate any desire on the part of Hamas to enter into a military conflict.

The newspaper says: In "Israel" they believe that the recent deterioration in Gaza does not indicate a decline in deterrence against "Hamas", but rather a dramatic indication of the severe civilian distress in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli sources say that since Operation Guardian of the Walls (Saif al-Quds), Hamas has maintained almost complete restraint.