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Israel's Smotrich Approves Settlement in Bid to 'Bury' Idea of Palestinian State

FILE PHOTO: Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich walks to visit the Damascus Gate to Jerusalem's Old City, as Israelis mark Jerusalem Day, in Jerusalem May 26, 2025. REUTERS/Ammar Awad/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich walks to visit the Damascus Gate to Jerusalem's Old City, as Israelis mark Jerusalem Day, in Jerusalem May 26, 2025. REUTERS/Ammar Awad/File Photo
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Israel's Smotrich Approves Settlement in Bid to 'Bury' Idea of Palestinian State

FILE PHOTO: Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich walks to visit the Damascus Gate to Jerusalem's Old City, as Israelis mark Jerusalem Day, in Jerusalem May 26, 2025. REUTERS/Ammar Awad/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich walks to visit the Damascus Gate to Jerusalem's Old City, as Israelis mark Jerusalem Day, in Jerusalem May 26, 2025. REUTERS/Ammar Awad/File Photo

Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has approved plans for a settlement that would split East Jerusalem from the occupied West Bank, a move his office said would bury the idea of a Palestinian state. 

It was not immediately clear if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backed the plan to revive the long-frozen E1 scheme, which Palestinians and world powers have said would effectively lop the West Bank in two and will likely draw international ire, Reuters said. 

In a statement headlined "Burying the idea of a Palestinian state," Smotrich's spokesperson announced the decision and said the development would build 3,401 houses for Israeli settlers between an existing settlement in the West Bank and Jerusalem. 

Israel had frozen construction plans there since 2012 because of objections from the United States, European allies and other world powers who considered the project a threat to any future peace deal with the Palestinians. 

Palestinians fear the settlement building in the West Bank - which has sharply intensified since the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that led to the Gaza war - will rob them of any chance to build a state of their own in the area. 

Settler violence has skyrocketed, from destruction of olive groves and cutting water and electricity in communities like Susiya, to incendiary attacks on Christian holy sites. 

There was no immediate statement from Netanyahu or the broader government. Smotrich's popularity has fallen in recent months with polls showing his party would not win a single seat if parliamentary elections were held today. 

The Palestinian foreign ministry called the new settlement plan an extension of crimes of genocide, displacement and annexation, and an echo of Netanyahu's statements regarding what he called 'Greater Israel'. Israel has long rejected accusations of genocide and rights abuses and said it is acting in its own defense. 

The E1 project would connect the Maale Adumim settlement in the West Bank with Jerusalem. Most of the international community views Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and its military occupation over the region since 1967, as illegal. 

Peace Now, which tracks settlement activity in the West Bank, said that the housing ministry had approved the construction of 3,300 homes in Maale Adumim. 

“The E1 plan is deadly for the future of Israel and for any chance of achieving a peaceful two-state solution. We are standing at the edge of an abyss, and the government is driving us forward at full speed," Peace Now said in a statement. 

HOUSE BUILDING 'IN A YEAR' 

Peace Now said there were still steps needed before construction, including the approval of Israel's High Planning Council. But if all went through, infrastructure work could begin within a few months, and house building in about a year. 

Palestinians were already demoralized by the Israeli military campaign which has killed more than 61,000 people in Gaza, according to local health authorities, and fear Netanyahu will ultimately push them out of that territory. 

President Donald Trump added to their anxiety by proposing the United States will take over Gaza, build an international beach resort and displace its residents to countries such as Egypt and Jordan. 

About 700,000 Israeli settlers live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel annexed East Jerusalem in a move not recognized by most countries but has not formally extended sovereignty over the West Bank. The UN and most world powers say settlement expansion has eroded the viability of a two-state solution by fragmenting Palestinian territory. 

Israel disputes this, citing historical and biblical ties to the area, which it calls Judea and Samaria, and says the settlements provide strategic depth and security. 

Most of the international community considers all settlements illegal under international law, a position backed by numerous UN Security Council resolutions, including one which called on Israel to halt all settlement activity. 

Israel rejects this interpretation, saying the West Bank is "disputed" rather than 'occupied' territory. 

Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand imposed sanctions in June on Smotrich and another far-right minister who advocates for settlement expansion, accusing both of them of repeatedly inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank 

Britain and other states have said that Israel must stop expanding settlements in the West Bank. Over the past 22 months, as Israel has waged war in Gaza, rights groups have said settler attacks and settlement expansion in the West Bank have risen sharply. 

 

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Arab World

Lebanon Building Collapse Toll Rises to 9

Rescue workers and residents search for survivors in the rubble of a building that collapsed in the northern city of Tripoli, Lebanon, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Rescue workers and residents search for survivors in the rubble of a building that collapsed in the northern city of Tripoli, Lebanon, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
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Lebanon Building Collapse Toll Rises to 9

Rescue workers and residents search for survivors in the rubble of a building that collapsed in the northern city of Tripoli, Lebanon, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo)
Rescue workers and residents search for survivors in the rubble of a building that collapsed in the northern city of Tripoli, Lebanon, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo)

The death toll in a building collapse in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli on Sunday climbed to nine, a civil defense official said Sunday-- the second such incident in weeks.

The state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported "the collapse of an old building" in Tripoli's Bab al-Tabbaneh neighborhood, the poorest in the impoverished city. Rescuers were still searching for survivors.

Security personnel evacuated adjacent buildings fearing further collapses, it added.

An AFP correspondent saw teams of rescue workers toiling into the night on the rubble of the collapsed structure, as ambulances stood by.

Civil defense director general Imad Khreish told local media that nine people had been killed but that six others who were rescued were taken to hospital.

The building consisted of two blocks, each containing six apartments, he added. Residents estimated some 22 people were inside at the time of the collapse, he said.

Local activist Jumana al-Shahal told AFP at the site that the incident was "a testament to the accumulated neglect of this forgotten city".

Mayor Abdel Hamid Karimeh told journalists "we declare Tripoli a disaster-stricken city" due to unsafe buildings.

"Thousands of our people in Tripoli are threatened due to years of neglect," he said. "The situation is beyond the capabilities of the Tripoli municipality."

- 'Years of neglect' -

This latest disaster came after another deadly building collapse in Tripoli late last month.

After Sunday's incident, the NNA reported that angry young men took to the streets on motorbikes, some heading "to the offices of some politicians" and vandalizing metal barriers there.

In January, the head of the higher relief authority, Bassam Nablusi, citing Tripoli municipality statistics, said 105 buildings required "immediate warning notices to their residents to evacuate".

Local media reported the structure that collapsed on Sunday was not included in a list of buildings at imminent risk.

Lebanon is dotted with derelict buildings, and many inhabited structures are in an advanced state of disrepair.

Many buildings were built illegally, especially during the 1975-1990 civil war, while some owners have added new floors to existing apartment blocks without permits.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the government was ready to provide housing allowances to residents of buildings requiring evacuation.

In a statement, he decried a "humanitarian catastrophe" that he said was caused by "long years of accumulated neglect".

His office said he had summoned the justice and interior ministers for an emergency meeting.

- Investigation ordered -

Justice Minister Adel Nassar asked the public prosecutor in the north to open an immediate investigation into the incident, the NNA said, reporting that procedures had begun.

A recent report by research and design firm Public Works Studio said several buildings fully or partially collapsed in Tripoli in January.

It cited causes including unplanned urban expansion and a lack of proper construction oversight.

In 2024, rights group Amnesty International said "thousands of people" were still living in unsafe buildings in Tripoli more than a year after a major earthquake centered on Türkiye and neighboring Syria had had weakened the structures.

Even before the February 2023 quake, Tripoli residents "had raised the alarm about their dire housing situation, caused by decades of neglect and contractors' lack of compliance with safety regulations", it said.

The situation was compounded by Lebanon's years-long economic crisis meaning residents could not afford repairs or alternative housing, it added, urging authorities to "urgently... assess the safety of buildings across the country".

Arab World

Salam Concludes Visit to South Lebanon: Region Must Return to State Authority

Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (L) holds bouquets of flower as he stands next to the mayor of the heavily-damaged southern village of Kfar Shouba, near the border with Israel, during his visit on February 8, 2026. (AFP)
Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (L) holds bouquets of flower as he stands next to the mayor of the heavily-damaged southern village of Kfar Shouba, near the border with Israel, during his visit on February 8, 2026. (AFP)
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Salam Concludes Visit to South Lebanon: Region Must Return to State Authority

Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (L) holds bouquets of flower as he stands next to the mayor of the heavily-damaged southern village of Kfar Shouba, near the border with Israel, during his visit on February 8, 2026. (AFP)
Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (L) holds bouquets of flower as he stands next to the mayor of the heavily-damaged southern village of Kfar Shouba, near the border with Israel, during his visit on February 8, 2026. (AFP)

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam vowed on Sunday to work on rebuilding infrastructure in southern villages that were destroyed by Israel during its last war with Hezbollah.

On the second day of a tour of the South, he declared: “We want the region to return to the authority of the state.”

He was warmly received by the locals as he toured a number of border villages that were destroyed by Israel during the conflict. His visit included Kfar Kila, Marjeyoun, Kfar Shouba and Kfar Hamam. He kicked off his tour on Saturday by visiting Tyre and Bint Jbeil.

The visit went above the differences between the government and Hezbollah, which has long held sway over the South. Throughout the tour, Salam was greeted by representatives of the “Shiite duo” of Hezbollah and its ally the Amal movement, as well as MPs from the Change bloc and others opposed to Hezbollah.

In Kfar Kila, the locals raised a banner in welcome of the PM, also offering him flowers and an olive branch. The town was the worst hit during the war with Israel, which destroyed nearly 90 percent of its buildings and its forces regularly carrying out incursions there.

Salam said the town was “suffering more than others because of the daily violations and its close proximity to the border.”

He added that its residents cannot return to their homes without the reconstruction of its infrastructure, which should kick off “within the coming weeks.”

“Our visit underlines that the state and all of its agencies stand by the ruined border villages,” he stressed.

“The government will continue to make Israel commit” to the ceasefire agreement, he vowed. “This does not mean that we will wait until its full withdrawal from occupied areas before working on rehabilitating infrastructure.”

Amal MP Ali Hassan Khalil noted that the people cannot return to their town because it has been razed to the ground by Israel and is still coming under its attacks.

In Marjeyoun, Salam said the “state has long been absent from the South. Today, however, the army has been deployed and we want it to remain so that it can carry out its duties.”

“The state is not limited to the army, but includes laws, institutions, social welfare and services,” he went on to say.

Reconstruction in Marjeyoun will cover roads and electricity and water infrastructure. The process will take months, he revealed, adding: “The state is serious about restoring its authority.”

“We want this region to return to the fold of the state.”

MP Elias Jarade said the government “must regain the trust of the southerners. This begins with the state embracing and defending its people,” and protecting Lebanon’s sovereignty.

MP Firas Hamdan said the PM’s visit reflects his keenness on relations with the South.

Ali Murad, a candidate who ran against Hezbollah and Amal in Marjeyoun, said the warm welcome accorded to Salam demonstrates that the “state needs the South as much as the people of the South need the state.”

“We will always count on the state,” he vowed.

Hezbollah MP Hussein Jishi welcomed Salam’s visit, hoping “it would bolster the southerners’ trust in the state.”

Kataeb leader MP Sami Gemayel remarked that the warm welcome accorded to the PM proves that the people of the South “want the state and its sovereignty. They want legitimate institutions that impose their authority throughout Lebanon, without exception.”

Arab World

Three Dead After Flooding Hits Northwest Syria

A child watches as civil defense teams open flooded roads in Idlib. (SANA)
A child watches as civil defense teams open flooded roads in Idlib. (SANA)
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Three Dead After Flooding Hits Northwest Syria

A child watches as civil defense teams open flooded roads in Idlib. (SANA)
A child watches as civil defense teams open flooded roads in Idlib. (SANA)

Two children and a Syrian Red Crescent volunteer have died as a result of flooding in the country's northwest, state media said on Sunday.

The heavy rains in Syria's Idlib region and the coastal province of Latakia have also wreaked havoc in displacement camps, according to authorities, who have launched rescue operations and set up shelters in the areas.

State news agency SANA reported "the death of a Syrian Arab Red Crescent volunteer and the injury of four others as they carried out their humanitarian duties" in Latakia province.

The Syrian Red Crescent said in a statement that the "a mission vehicle veered into a valley", killing a female volunteer and injuring four others, as they went to rescue people stranded by flash floods.

"A fifth volunteer was injured while attempting to rescue a child trapped by the floodwaters," it added.

SANA said two children died on Saturday "due to heavy flooding that swept through the Ain Issa area" in the north of Latakia province.

Authorities said Sunday they were working to clear roads in displacement camps in flooded parts of Idlib province.

The emergencies and disaster management ministry said 14 displacement camps in part of Idlib province were affected, with tents swamped, belongings swept away and around 300 families directly impacted.

Around seven million people remain internally displaced in Syria, according to the United Nations refugee agency, some 1.4 million of them living in camps and sites in the country's northwest and northeast.

The December 2024 ouster of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad after more than 13 years of civil war revived hopes for many to return home, but the destruction of housing and a lack of basic infrastructure in heavily damaged areas has been a major barrier.