World

Understanding the conflict in West Bank: A primer on the historic struggle

Violence has been surging in the West Bank, including deadly clashes in Jenin, a fatal shooting by Palestinians near a Jewish settlement, attacks on Palestinian villages by rampaging settlers, and rare use of Israeli air power against militants.

Here is a primer on conflict in the West Bank:

HISTORIC STRUGGLE

The West Bank including the Old City of Jerusalem was part of British Mandatory Palestine until 1948 when it was occupied by Transjordan during a war between the newly declared state of Israel and Arab countries.

Israel captured the territory during another Arab-Israeli war in 1967. Israel annexed Jerusalem and a surrounding belt of the West Bank — a step that has never won international recognition.

In 1994, the Palestinian Authority was established under interim peace deals, granting Palestinians limited self-rule while Israel continued to occupy the West Bank.

The PA runs civilian and security affairs in the main Palestinian towns and cities. The PA-run patches of the West Bank are surrounded by areas of full Israeli control amounting to over 60% of the territory and known as Area C.

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TWO POPULATIONS

Not including Israeli areas of East Jerusalem, the West Bank is home to some 3 million Palestinians. About one third of them are refugees because they or their ancestors were forced to flee their homes in the 1948 war.

The number of Jewish settlers has grown to about 465,400, living in 132 government-sanctioned settlements and 146 outposts that don’t have official approval, the Peace Now watchdog group says. Israel’s nationalist-religious government has approved thousands of additional housing units for settlers this year.

Palestinians face numerous restrictions on movement and construction. In 2022, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says 781 Palestinian structures were demolished in Area C, typically due to a lack of Israeli permits
which it says are nearly impossible to obtain.

CONFLICTING VISIONS

The West Bank is central to Palestinian aspirations for a state that would include the Gaza Strip and have East Jerusalem as its capital. But the peace process has long been moribund.

To Israel, the West Bank is of strategic and religious importance. It is known in Israel as Judea and Samaria and home to many biblical sites — a factor that has drawn settlers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2019 announced plans to annex parts of the West Bank. But Israel suspended such steps under a 2020 deal normalizing ties with the United Arab Emirates.

Palestinians say Jewish settlements undermine the two-state solution.

VIOLENCE

The West Bank was an arena of the first Palestinian uprising, or Intifada, which erupted in 1987 and was defined by confrontations between stone-throwing Palestinians and Israeli soldiers. It was also a battleground in a second Intifada, which began in 2000 and spiraled into armed conflict.

Israel began building high concrete walls cutting off parts of the West Bank in 2002, saying it aimed to stop suicide bombings. To Palestinians, the barrier — most of which is in the West Bank — amounts to a land grab.

Violence pitting Jewish settlers against Palestinians has featured prominently in the latest phase of the conflict. Settler attacks on Palestinians have been on the rise.

A settler rampage in a Palestinian village in February prompted international condemnation. It followed a Palestinian gun attack that killed two Israeli brothers.

There have been several similar incidents since then, most recently this month when settler mobs attacked towns and villages following the killing of four Israelis by gunmen of the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

INTERNATIONAL VIEW

Most countries regard the West Bank including East Jerusalem as occupied territory.

UK court rules plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda is unlawful

World

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

World

At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

World

US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM