search
Bank of the West
Trends
- 1Israel imposes week-long comprehensive closure on West Bank●📢 Israeli occupation authorities imposed a comprehensive closure on the occupied # westbank and closed ❌ 🛂 border crossi
Israeli authorities have imposed a comprehensive closure on the occupied West Bank, closing border crossings for one week, citing the Jewish holidays, according to Palestinian media reports. Measures include tightened restrictions on Palestinian movement. The announcement is drawing criticism online, with commentary accusing Israel of using the holidays to justify further restrictions on Palestinians in the occupied territory.
- 2Smotrich urges West Bank offensive mirroring Gaza war▼Smotrich calls for doing in West Bank 'what we did in Gaza'
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for carrying out in the occupied West Bank what Israel has done in Gaza, a remark that has drawn sharp attention amid the ongoing war. His comments are being read as a call for intensified military action against Palestinians in the West Bank, where violence and settlement expansion have already surged, and have sparked criticism of the Israeli government's far-right leadership.
- 3Smotrich urges West Bank war and annexation in Lebanon remarks●Smotrich: Israel must 'go to war' in West Bank as 'we did in Gaza,' annex most of Strip, south Lebanon
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Israel must 'go to war' in the West Bank as it did in Gaza, and called for annexing most of the West Bank as well as parts of southern Lebanon. His comments drew immediate attention given his senior role in the government and the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and along Israel's northern border, where Israel has carried out operations against Hezbollah.
- 4UN adds 61 firms to West Bank settlement blacklist●UN blacklists 61 more firms over ties with West Bank settlers; Israel reacts
The UN has blacklisted 61 additional companies over their ties to Israeli settlements in the West Bank, bringing the total number of listed firms higher. The move is part of the UN Human Rights Council's database of businesses operating in or linked to settlements, which it deems illegal under international law. Israel has reacted angrily, condemning the blacklist as biased and politically motivated, while rights groups welcomed the step as accountability for corporate complicity.
- 5Chinese VP Han Zheng calls for Palestinians to govern Palestine●🟢 Diplomacy | 5/10 Statement by Chinese VP on Palestine and Ukraine Chinese VP Han Zheng called for the governance of th
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng issued a statement addressing both Palestine and Ukraine, calling for the West Bank and post-conflict reconstruction of Gaza to be governed according to the principle of 'Palestinians governing Palestine'. The remarks position China as an active voice on Middle East governance questions and come amid ongoing international debate over Gaza's future administration and the war in Ukraine.
- 6UN blacklists major Israeli companies over West Bank settlement ties▼UN adds major Israeli companies to ‘blacklist’ over settlement ties
The United Nations has added several major Israeli companies to a blacklist of firms linked to Israeli settlements, a move condemned by Israel and closely watched internationally. The listings concern companies operating in or tied to settlements in the occupied West Bank, which the UN considers illegal under international law, a position Israel rejects.
- 7Israel Uses 'Skunk Water' in Gaza as West Bank Home Demolitions Continue●This Week in Palestine: Israel Drops ‘Skunk Water’ on Gaza and Demolishes Palestinian Homes in the West Bank
Reports from Palestine this week say Israeli forces sprayed foul-smelling 'skunk water' over areas of Gaza, a chemical dispersal typically used for crowd control, while carrying out further demolitions of Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank. The combined actions have drawn attention to the widening range of Israeli measures across both territories and renewed criticism from observers of the occupation's impact on Palestinian civilians.
- 8Israel Postpones West Bank E1 Construction Tender●West Bank E1 Construction Tender Postponed to Avoid Its Use for Electioneering
Israel's government has delayed a tender for construction in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank, saying the move is intended to prevent the project from being used for electioneering. The E1 settlement plan, long controversial internationally because it would effectively split the West Bank, has repeatedly been frozen and revived amid political pressure. The postponement comes ahead of Israeli elections, with critics viewing the decision as politically motivated.