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Palestinians Accuse Israel of Waging War on ‘Reconciliation’

Hassan Yousef speaks to the media after his release from an Israeli prison, in the West Bank city of Ramallah on January 19, 2014 (Majdi Mohammad/AP)
Hassan Yousef speaks to the media after his release from an Israeli prison, in the West Bank city of Ramallah on January 19, 2014 (Majdi Mohammad/AP)
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Palestinians Accuse Israel of Waging War on ‘Reconciliation’

Hassan Yousef speaks to the media after his release from an Israeli prison, in the West Bank city of Ramallah on January 19, 2014 (Majdi Mohammad/AP)
Hassan Yousef speaks to the media after his release from an Israeli prison, in the West Bank city of Ramallah on January 19, 2014 (Majdi Mohammad/AP)

After Israeli authorities arrested West Bank Hamas leader Hassan Youssef and Fatah’s Jerusalem Governor Adnan Ghaith, the Palestinian Authority accused the Israeli government of seeking to undermine Fatah-Hamas reconciliation efforts.

Dozens of field officials in both Hamas and Fatah were also arrested.

Fatah Secretary-General Jibril Rajoub condemned these arrests, accusing Israeli authorities of what he called “tampering” with the ongoing Palestinian reconciliation talks.

“This arrest is a continuation of the occupation’s approach to arresting dozens of our Palestinian people every day, and a continuation of the constant aggression against our people for decades. It comes within the framework of attempting to tamper with Palestinian affairs and influence the achievement of national unity,” Rajoub said.

“We hereby affirm that the arrest Sheikh Hassan Youssef by the occupation will not stop the path of unity for which he worked for the past two months,” Hamas said in a statement.

Fatah and Hamas movements have been at odds since 2007, but after reconciliation talks in Istanbul in late September, the two rival movements agreed to set a date for Palestinian legislative elections within the next six months.

The arrests coincided with an announcement by a government source in Tel Aviv that the Israeli Higher Council for Planning and Building will meet tomorrow, Sunday, to approve the construction of 5,400 settlement units in the West Bank.

Israel Hayom, which reported the news, revealed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had instructed approval for the planned construction.

Almost half of the new homes will be built in Beitar Illit, south of Jerusalem. The council will approve 2,929 housing units in the Haredi city.

Palestine condemned on Friday the Israeli plan to build 5,400 new units in the settlements in the West Bank.

Expanding Jewish settlements "is part of the (Israeli) unilateral moves to implement the US Deal of the Century" and its plan to "annex large parts of the West Bank," the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in an emailed press statement.

This "disproves Israeli claim that it has frozen settlement to enable its normalization with Arab states" and "reflects the systematic American and Israeli violations of the international law and resolutions," the ministry added.

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Arab World

Security Council Urges Unity in Lebanon, Welcomes Aoun’s Election

This handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun (C) and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) meeting with the new prime minister-designate Nawaf Salam (R) at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, on January 14, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
This handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun (C) and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) meeting with the new prime minister-designate Nawaf Salam (R) at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, on January 14, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
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Security Council Urges Unity in Lebanon, Welcomes Aoun’s Election

This handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun (C) and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) meeting with the new prime minister-designate Nawaf Salam (R) at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, on January 14, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
This handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun (C) and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) meeting with the new prime minister-designate Nawaf Salam (R) at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, on January 14, 2025. (Photo by AFP)

The UN Security Council has encouraged all parties in Lebanon to demonstrate “renewed unity,” saying PM designate Nawaf Salam should “swiftly” form a new government.

In a presidential statement unanimously adopted on Lebanon, the Council welcomed on Thursday the cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon, but it “expressed concern about the reported violations” in reference to ongoing Israeli attacks.

The Council “reaffirmed its support for Lebanon’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence in accordance with Council resolution 1701 (2006).”

The statement came as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Lebanon for meetings with top officials.

The Council welcomed the recent election of President Joseph Aoun and the designation of Salam as Prime Minister, describing the recent developments as “a long-awaited and critical step” to overcome Lebanon’s political and institutional crisis.

“It encouraged all parties in that country to demonstrate renewed unity and the new Lebanese authorities to swiftly form a government.”

Last week, the Security Council members held closed consultations on Lebanon to receive an update on the implementation of the cessation of hostilities agreement between Israel and Lebanon ahead of the expiry of the 60-day deadline outlined in the agreement for the Israeli army to withdraw south of the Blue Line and, in parallel, for the Lebanese military to deploy to positions south of the Litani river.