Palestine

Yesh Din, Bimkom, and HaMoked highlight the close link between “settlement, violence, and [. . .] fragmentation” jointly perpetrated by Israeli settlers and soldiers, following Minister Smotrich's directive, “maximum territory with minimum population.” They welcome the decision by the UK and 12 other countries to ban imports from settlements.

Today is the deadline for submitting lists for the October 27 elections. Arab voter turnout is a variable that will have a major impact on the distribution of Knesset seats. Segalovitz joins Ra‘am to form an odd alliance, calling on “Jews, Arabs, Muslims, Christians, and Druze” to unite.

Today, the Latin Patriarch, in cooperation with the University of Notre Dame, inaugurated Within Your Gates, a forum that brings together scholars, religious, and civic leaders to study and publicise the “universal vocation of Jerusalem”. The prelate asks “with honesty and humility” what purpose this city serves and what it asks of us.

Starting today, the first day of the academic year, schools remained closed due to Israel’s failure to renew entry permits for school staff. The Jewish state's measure affects more than 70 teachers and non-teaching staff, as well as 8,500 students. Various Christian Churches are united in protest, a repeat of what occurred last Christmas.

New appeal from A Jerusalem Voice for Justice for equality in Gaza and the West Bank. Where Israeli raids and settler attacks are causing an "ever-deepening despair". To policymakers: "Take responsibility". To Palestinian communities: "We are not relics of the past".

“Tracing Scribes and Scrolls” is a research project investigating the provenance of the texts from the ancient Dead Sea Library. Dating from the 3rd century BC to the 1st century AD, they are written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. Ranging from biblical books to wisdom literature, they provide a window into the pluralism of the Second Temple period.

Father Bashar tells AsiaNews that he welcomes “any measure” to “protect our people” as long as it is useful and does not affect Christians. Yesterday, Israel’s military blocked entry to non-residents, a step that applies “only to Israelis, not to Palestinians”.

A study by Physicians for Human Rights Israel raises the alarm. Behind the crisis is the Jewish state's decision to withhold clearance revenues, which represent two thirds of the Palestinian budget. Hundreds of essential medicines are unavailable, while PA Health Ministry’s debt tops US$ 1.18 billion.

The agreement to disarm Hamas envisions a central role for the International Stabilisation Force, announced in October, but which remains unclear after nine months. Israel has only given the green light to 200 soldiers from Morocco, Kosovo, Albania, and Kazakhstan. Indonesia has backtracked.

At the current session in South Korea, the city of Tyre has been listed among the World Heritage Sites at risk. From tomorrow, the emergency nominations submitted by Lebanon and Palestine concerning Beaufort Castle (reoccupied by Israel) and the ancient city of Sebastia will be examined. Netanyahu’s government: “Exploitation of cultural heritage”.

Among the topics discussed at the General Synod held in York was the Kairos Palestine document, in which the communities of the Holy Land take a stand on the Israeli occupation, peace and justice. Primate Mullally’s visit and the challenge of not allowing oneself to be paralysed by differing sensibilities. Palestinian pastor Munther Isaac: “A step we have been waiting for a long time”.

While Israel is already in campaign mode for the 27 October elections, the New Path has emerged as an alternative to traditional parties in upcoming Palestinian elections, the first in 20 years, on 28 November. Its leader, Samer Sinjlawi, spoke to AsiaNews about its goals: dialogue and coexistence for a "tired" society.