Israel’s Ministry of Construction and Housing issued a tender for over 1,200 new homes in an illegal settlement project east of Jerusalem, a move critics say will further fragment occupied Palestinian territory. This latest step in a project under consideration for more than two decades would effectively cut the occupied West Bank in two. It directly undermines any prospect of a contiguous Palestinian state.
Simultaneously, a mass funeral was held in Gaza City for 50 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes nearly three years ago. Their remains were only recently recovered from under rubble. Dozens of mourners carried the bodies, draped in Palestinian flags, through debris-strewn streets before their burial.
Illegal Settlement Expansion
The tender for several compounds with more than 1,200 homes marks a significant escalation in Israel’s settler-colonial project. This expansion east of Jerusalem is part of a long-standing strategy to isolate Palestinian communities. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband called the publication of the tender “an unacceptable and destructive act.” He denounced “settler violence and terrorism” in a statement released on Wednesday. The British government “demanded an immediate reversal” and summoned the Israeli chargé d’affaires.
Egypt and Jordan also condemned Israel’s move. Cairo stated the project would isolate east Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings, further entrenching the apartheid system. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar responded on Thursday by defending “the historic right of the Jewish people to reestablish their national home in the Land of Israel — including in the area in question.” Saar criticized Britain’s government for “blaming only Israel while ignoring Palestinian extremism.” This rhetoric consistently dismisses international law and Palestinian rights.
Gaza's Recovered Dead
The mass funeral in Gaza City brought a measure of closure for families who lost loved ones in the opening months of the Israel-Hamas war. Lina Karam, who lost her father and other family members, spoke of the profound suffering. “We were able to recover them after three years of war, after three years of anguish, pain and torture,” she said. “We were able to recover them, and dignify them in their final resting place. We were able to pray over them and bury them.” The 50 bodies belonged to three families killed in airstrikes in November and December 2023.
The nearly three-year war has claimed more than 73,400 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, maintains detailed records. These records are viewed as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and international organizations. While it doesn’t distinguish between civilians and militants, the ministry states that women and children constitute around half of the total toll. This ongoing violence and the systematic denial of dignity underscore the brutal reality of military occupation and collective punishment.
Diplomatic Condemnation and Regional Tensions
Beyond the immediate Israeli actions, regional tensions persist. Iran on Thursday dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats of economic pain and isolation. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected the economic threats, calling them “failed policies” that will stir more hostility. His comments followed Trump’s promise of “Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale.” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent threatened secondary sanctions on nations and companies conducting business with Iran. He stated it’s time for U.S. allies to make a decision on where they stand. This broader U.S. posture in the region often provides diplomatic cover for Israeli actions, diverting international attention from the ongoing dispossession of Palestinians. Meanwhile, Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani visited Pakistan for talks expected to focus on regional issues, days after Israeli airstrikes targeted an air base in northern Syria, causing damage but no casualties.