This week the United States took a strong opposing stance in response to Israel’s decision to appropriate approximately 1,000 acres of land in the West Bank. The U.S. State Department evaluated the decision as “deeply concerning,” immediately urging Israel to reverse the controversial territorial claim. It was reported that the Secretary General announced earlier this week that “the seizure of such a large swathe of land risks paving the way for further settlement activity, which—as the United Nations has reiterated on many occasions—is illegal under international law and runs totally counter to the pursuit of a two-state solution.”
According to the Israel Radio, this initiative was a response to the kidnapping and killing of three Jewish teens captured by members of Hamas in early June. The incident propelled the Israeli Defense Forces to initiate “Operation Protective Edge,” a mission targeting the Gaza strip and Hamas militants and leaders in the area. Despite multiple attempts at ceasefire, the violence has progressed throughout the summer for over 50 consecutive days and has resulted in an ever-growing death toll. The number of confirmed deaths now exceeds 2,000 casualties in Gaza and 68 in Israel along with the destruction of over 11,000 homes.
The United States is not the only nation opposing Israel’s recent decision. The European Union does not approve of Israel’s actions and, a recent public statement claimed, “We condemn the new appropriation of land in the West Bank, relating to plans for further settlement expansion, announced by the Israeli government on Sunday…The EU reiterates that it will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties…At this delicate moment, any action that might undermine stability and the prospect of constructive negotiations following the ceasefire in Gaza should be avoided.”
Many Asian countries have also commented on the situation. Japan recently stated: “Japan once again strongly urges both sides to act to enhance mutual trust as well as to continue to make steady efforts for peace.” Several other nations, including Turkey and the United Kingdom, have also demonstrated urgent opposition and issued similar statements.
Approximately half a million Jewish people currently reside within the West Bank region, which is similar in size to Central Park in New York City. However, the area is also home to 2.4 million Palestinian residents who argue that, considering how much territory they have already lost, the land rightly belongs to them. Furthermore, the region holds strong religious significance for both Jews and Palestinians alike, and Palestinian authorities expressed concern that the Israeli government would attempt to implement a large Jewish settlement within the territory.
Currently, Palestine and Israel are in a ceasefire. An open-ended truce has been agreed on between Hamas and other groups attacking the Israeli region. Unfortunately, many experts concede that the peace is far from permanent. The 50-day war that occurred this summer was the third since 2008 and tensions continue to rise over territorial claims and deeply ingrained political disputes. Israel’s economy and tourism regions were both exposed to significant damage, and Israel continues to face criticism from many nations over the targeting of Palestinian citizens, especially in densely populated regions. Gaza remains in a deplorable condition with many in the area lacking basic needs such as water and electricity.
Although Israel accomplished a portion of their mission in targeting hundreds of Hamas militants, the IDF predicts that thousands of rockets remain in the hands of surviving militant leaders. The nation remains under tight security restraints and continues to limit access through some of the its borders. The war on Gaza may have settled for now, but only time will tell whether this peace and security will last. •
