Israeli MK urges international action to prevent looming ‘genocide’ in West Bank

An Israeli member of the Knesset (parliament) has called upon the international community to take action before another genocide takes place, warning that the Tel Aviv regime is heading towards mass atrocities in the occupied West Bank.

“I appeal to the international community. You waited too long before intervening to stop the genocide in Gaza. Don’t wait for a similar scenario in the West Bank because we are getting close to that,” Ofer Cassif stated on Saturday.

He added, “And don’t wait for a civil war inside Israel because we are getting close to that, too. Engage now. Do everything possible to stop these two dangers — they threaten both Palestinians and Israelis alike, and ultimately the entire region and the world. It’s not only a matter of justice; it’s in your own interest to stop this. You can do it. We can’t do it alone. We need you.”

Cassif also drew attention to “a horrifying level of violence in the occupied West Bank, especially against Palestinians and activists harvesting olives” in recent days.

“Occupation forces expelled them from their lands to make way for terrorist settlers, not only to beat Palestinians and attack them but also, as activists reported, to steal their food, for example, and take over the land. This is part of the annexation plan. It’s not just a fascist mob acting against the regime’s policies. It’s part of regime policy itself, and that’s another reason for deep concern,” he said.

The Israeli lawmaker further noted that the incumbent administration led by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to achieve two main things in the coming months, whether elections take place as planned in October or earlier, like June or even before that.

“The administration wants, first and foremost, to continue the coup, what they call ‘judicial reform.’ It’s neither reform nor judicial. It’s a coup, fascist in every sense of the word. It’s dictatorial, a coup aimed at completely eliminating the independence of the judiciary. That’s something I criticize strongly, but that’s not the point; they want to destroy it,” he continued.

Cassif said that another aspect “is the complete destruction of media independence, which I also criticize severely.”

“Third, the ruling coalition wants to eliminate whatever civil rights are left. This cabinet is waging war on … the judiciary, the attorney general, the media, civil society, or individual citizens. That’s what they’re doing. They want to complete a fascist coup,” he stated.

Italian MEP cancels visit to Israeli-occupied territories after Knesset votes to annex West Bank

An Italian Member of the European Parliament cancels her visit to the Israeli-occupied territories next week, citing the Knesset’s recent approval of a law to annex the West Bank.

The remarks came on the same day that three Palestinian farmers were injured after being attacked by illegal Israeli settlers in the southern West Bank city of Nablus.

According to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, illegal armed settlers assaulted olive pickers with sticks and dogs in the Wadi al-Hajj Issa area of Aqraba, injuring them and forcing other farmers to flee their lands.

Hassan Malihat, general supervisor of the al-Baidar human rights organization, also said dozens of armed illegal settlers, heavily guarded by Israeli troops, stormed the Arab al-Rashayida village and carried out acts of intimidation and violence against local residents.

The West Bank has been under Israeli military occupation since 1967.

As of the end of 2024, approximately 770,000 illegal Israeli settlers lived in the West Bank, across 180 settlements and 256 outposts – including 138 classified as agricultural or pastoral, according to Palestinian reports.

Since October 2023, after the Zionist regime launched its genocidal war on Gaza, the Israeli military has intensified daily raids and mass arrests across the West Bank, notably in the northern cities.

According to the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, illegal Israeli settlers have carried out more than 7,000 attacks against Palestinians and their property in the West Bank since the onset of the bloody Gaza war. These include 158 assaults targeting olive pickers since the beginning of this month.

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East al-Quds.

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