The Israeli government has demonstrated a clear and consistent intent to establish permanent control over Gaza while ensuring a Jewish majority in the occupied West Bank and inside Israel, according to a United Nations Commission of Inquiry.
The UN report details Israeli authorities' extensive, systematic demolition of civilian infrastructure in Gaza's corridors and buffer zone - resulting in Israel expanding control to 75% of Gaza by July this year.
The Commission also found that since October 2023, Israeli policies have demonstrated clear intent to forcibly transfer Palestinians, expand Jewish settlements, and annex the entire West Bank.
Europe Editor Tony Connelly and cameraman Bram Verbeke report from Taybeh, a christian village in the West Bank where locals say they are facing increased attacks by Jewish settlers.
According to John's Gospel, Jesus went to Taybeh after raising Lazarus. Today it’s the only exclusively Christian village in Palestine, but its sixth century church and hinterland have been subject to increasing attacks by Jewish settlers; reviving the idea of a Palestinian state is a bittersweet prospect for the Greek orthodox parish priest.
"We are surrounded with about nine Muslim villages here. But we live with them in fraternity life. We have a good relation with each other. We have no problem with them - only the settlers who are making trouble, mostly every day," said Fr David Khoury.
Nadim Khoury poured his life savings into the Middle East's first micro-brewery. He had returned from Boston in the early 90s, flush with the hope inspired by the Oslo accords.
"We came with the full energy to make the state of Palestine, to build and invest in our country," he said.
The beer expanded to wine, spirits and olive oil and his children joined him from the United States.
But attacks by illegal settlers since 7 October 2023 included cutting off water springs, meaning the plant can only get water one day a week.
"With beer, 95% of the beer is water. And so when they attack these springs and they break the water pipes, the computer systems, the cameras, it limits the water that we get even more," said Madees Khoury.
Settlers from the hilltop village have been accused of stealing sheep, burning olive groves and attacking locals with the Israeli military randomly blocking access in and out of Taybeh.
Every aspect of the exporting process has become increasingly problematic, not least because of the security situation, but also because everything has to be shipped through an Israeli port.
"It's exporting, going through additional security checks for no reason, more delays getting the permits to pass through the commercial checkpoints to get to the port," explained Madees Khoury.
Nadim believes the Israeli government is bent on annexing the West Bank and forcing out Palestinians, using settlers as a blunt instrument.
"I have a family tree of 600 years in Taybeh. I'm not going to leave my olive oil trees and my houses and my property. There is no way that I will go anywhere," said Nadim.
The promise of statehood is irresistible in a village that resonates with biblical echoes but where opponents believe they have a God-given right to the land.
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Additional reporting: Reuters
