Israel Launches New Settlement Plans

Israeli soldiers arrest a Palestinian man in Hebron on Friday. (EPA)
Israeli soldiers arrest a Palestinian man in Hebron on Friday. (EPA)
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Israel Launches New Settlement Plans

Israeli soldiers arrest a Palestinian man in Hebron on Friday. (EPA)
Israeli soldiers arrest a Palestinian man in Hebron on Friday. (EPA)

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) accused Israel of pushing new settlement plans in Jerusalem at the beginning of the new year, aiming to Judaize the city.

The PLO's National Office for Defending Land and Resisting Settlements said the occupied city of Jerusalem is witnessing continuous Judaization schemes.

It indicated that the Israeli government, the municipality and settlement associations are complicit with the Israeli judiciary in the settling plans aiming to limit the Palestinian presence in the city.

The office issued a report noting that the silent ethnic cleansing in and around the city continues for this year, stating that Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Mayor Moshe Leon aim to bring about sweeping changes in the demographic balance of Jerusalem.

Since the beginning of the new year, Israeli authorities have approved five new plans to build 3,557 settlement units in the occupied city.

The report said one of the construction plans relates to building new settlement units between Har Homa and Givat HaMatos and another plan in the French Hill.

It warned that these plans are dangerous because they are concentrated in the southern area of ​​Jerusalem and include the establishment of a new settlement neighborhood that provides for 1,465 settlement units near Givat HaMatos and the Har Homa - Jabal Abu Ghneim.

The plans also include establishing 2,092 settlement units in the French Hill area in the center to separate the Jerusalem neighborhoods.

The report also referred to the plans to isolate the north, where there is a general and comprehensive Israeli plan to establish a settlement belt, starting from Qalandia, up to the eastern region (E1), and from Beit Safafa to Sur Baher town.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Ministry of Interior approved a large-scale support plan for the occupied West Bank settlements of 140 million shekels, a 70 percent increase compared to the additional settlements' budget last year.

The National Office reiterated Palestinian officials' accusations of the Israeli government pushing settlements and covering settler terrorism, saying it was the worst government and plots to destroy the two-state solution.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the escalation in Israeli violations and crimes against Palestinians, their land, properties, homes, and holy sites throughout the West Bank.

The Foreign Ministry said that these violations are accompanied by the continued occupation of Israel and the Judaization of Jerusalem.

It warned that these attempts prove the Israeli government and its army want to end the Palestinian presence in occupied Jerusalem and the areas classified (C).

According to its statement, the Israeli government is in a race against time to implement Israel's colonial interests.

The Ministry said the Israeli government is fully and directly responsible for these violations and escalating crimes, warning of their disastrous consequences and repercussions on the conflict and regional and international efforts to establish confidence between the two sides.

The current Israeli government continues to marginalize the Palestinian cause and divert international attention away from it.



Experts Warn Floods to Continue to Impact Humanitarian Situation in Yemen

Yemen receives high levels of rainfall annually (AFP)
Yemen receives high levels of rainfall annually (AFP)
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Experts Warn Floods to Continue to Impact Humanitarian Situation in Yemen

Yemen receives high levels of rainfall annually (AFP)
Yemen receives high levels of rainfall annually (AFP)

Although Yemen's rainy season nears its end, experts on Thursday warned of heavy showers in several areas across the country, nevertheless with a decrease in their frequency and intensity.

Heavy downpours in war-torn Yemen over the past weeks have triggered flash flooding and landslides, causing significant casualties and damages in properties and infrastructure.

On Tuesday, experts and meteorology centers forecast scattered rains on the easternmost province of Mahra, the western highlands in the provinces of Taiz, Ibb, Lahj, Rayma, Dhamar, Sanaa, Al Mahwit, Amran, Hajjah and Saada, as well as the western coast in the provinces of Hajjah, Hodeidah and Taiz, and the plains in the provinces of Abyan, Shabwa and Hadramaut.

In forecasts posted on social media, the experts warned of thunderclouds carrying huge amounts of rain, accompanied by hail, thunder and strong winds, urging residents to take the necessary precautions.

Since early this month, Yemen has witnessed a drop in rainfall. In July and August, Yemen experienced severe flooding due to prolonged heavy rainfall, fueled by unusual weather patterns. Numerous governorates across the nation were impacted, especially the governorates of Hodeidah and Al Mahwit.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) this week warned of a deepening humanitarian disaster in Yemen as ongoing floods, which began in March and intensified in July and August, continue to devastate multiple governorates.

The floods have displaced tens of thousands of families, destroyed vital infrastructure, and fueled the rapid spread of cholera.

Floods have severely impacted the governorates of Hodeidah, Hajjah, Marib, Saada, and Taiz, with nearly 268,000 individuals affected as of last month.

IRC warned that while rainfall has stopped in September, the risk of additional flash floods remains high due to already saturated ground and poor drainage systems.

Severe Impact of Floods

IRC said that floods have severely impacted the governorates of Hodeidah, Hajjah, Marib, Sadah, and Taiz, with nearly 268,000 individuals (38,285 families) affected as of last month, according to OCHA reports.

It said the heavy rains, expected to persist into September, have caused widespread destruction of homes, agricultural land, and infrastructure, further limiting access to food - an issue that more than 17 million Yemenis are already struggling with due to conflict, economic decline, and rising food prices, all exacerbated by the climate crisis.

In Taiz alone, an estimated 70 to 100% of agricultural land has been destroyed. While rainfall has stopped in September, the risk of additional flash floods remains high due to already saturated ground and poor drainage systems.

The IRC urgently called on the international community to scale up financial and logistical support to meet the immediate and long-term needs of those affected by this disaster. Without timely action, the situation in Yemen will continue to deteriorate, putting more lives at risk, it warned.

Rapid Spread of Cholera

“Yemen is facing a crisis on multiple fronts—ongoing conflict, severe flooding, and now a cholera outbreak that has been rapidly spreading across several governorates,” IRC’s Acting Country Director in Yemen, Isaiah Ogolla, said.

Ogolla said people’s lives are at immediate risk, and the destruction of water and sanitation facilities is likely to worsen the spread of the disease.

“In response, the IRC is launching emergency operations in the hardest-hit districts of Hajjah, Hodeidah, Al-Mahwit and Taiz, providing cash assistance to approximately 2,000 affected households,” he said.

The IRC acting country director noted that the initial phase will focus on addressing immediate needs, with further assessments planned to guide potential interventions in water and sanitation, such as establishing water points and emergency latrines.

Ogolla said the IRC and its partners have conducted assessments across the affected areas, revealing that nearly 9,600 people have been displaced due to the floods in Taiz, Hajjah, and Hodeidah.

The floodwaters have severely damaged water, sanitation, and health infrastructure, increasing the risk of further cholera outbreaks across these regions.

On Tuesday, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KsRelief) distributed emergency shelter aids to those affected by torrents and floods in the Mawza district of Taiz Governorate.

The emergency aid included 100 tents and 370 shelter bags, benefiting 2,220 individuals affected by floods.