{"text":[[{"start":5.18,"text":"Palestinian villagers are under siege, farmers cut off from their land. Almost daily Jewish settler violence drives yet more families from their homes. This has become the norm in the occupied West Bank over the past three years under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The attacks have occurred with near impunity. The Israeli military, which as the occupying force is obliged to ensure public order, largely stands idly by or does not show up when attacks occur."}],[{"start":33.12,"text":"For the most part, Israel’s western allies have been meek in their efforts to stem the tide. Some European states, Australia, Canada and New Zealand have imposed sanctions on two of Netanyahu’s extremist ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich — both settlers — and some settler entities. It was too little, too late."}],[{"start":52.12,"text":"The consequences have been devastating. There have been more than 1,400 settler attacks this year, according to the UN, against a total of 1,836 for all of 2025 — which was the highest level since UN records began two decades ago. It is only getting worse as Netanyahu and his coalition partners seek to rally their bases ahead of elections in October. Rather than rein in the violence, they brag of their success in dramatically expanding settlements that are illegal under international law."}],[{"start":80.88,"text":"This month, the government issued tenders for about 1,200 Jewish housing units in the territory’s E1 area, which would further fragment the West Bank, cut the territory in two and could prove fatal to any hopes of a contiguous Palestinian state. The scheme was shelved by successive Israeli governments because it was so controversial. But Netanyahu and his supporters appear to be rushing to change facts on the ground before Israelis go to the polls."}],[{"start":105.48,"text":"Netanyahu has for years worked to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state and expand Jewish settlements. But this accelerated dramatically after Hamas’s October 7 2023 attack as the world’s attention focused on the Gaza war. More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank in the three years since as Israeli military raids and settler attacks intensified. More than 41,500 have been displaced over the past 18 months."}],[{"start":132.4,"text":"What was for years creeping has now become de facto annexation. Defence Minister Israel Katz this month ordered the army to prepare to transfer law-enforcement powers in the West Bank to the police. That would extend Israeli civilian administration over the Palestinian territory."}],[{"start":148.6,"text":"The catastrophe in Gaza, where more than 70,000 Palestinians have been killed, has drawn much international attention. But the disaster unfolding in the West Bank cannot be ignored. Israel has many legitimate security concerns, but its actions in the territory amount to land grabs in the service of ideology."}],[{"start":167.36,"text":"Some governments are increasing pressure over the issue. The Netherlands is to ban imports from settlements; the UK is considering a similar embargo. Netanyahu’s government responded by expelling Dutch representatives from the US-led co-ordination centre for postwar Gaza. That was further evidence of the need for Europe to stand up to Israel, particularly as US President Donald Trump pays little heed to the West Bank crisis."}],[{"start":191.48,"text":"Western states should take a common stand on banning exports from settlements they deem illegal. Israeli entities involved in the construction or financing of settlements ought to face sanctions too. EU members should unite to suspend the bloc’s association agreement with Israel. Europeans also need to convince Trump that Netanyahu is acting against US and Israeli interests by destabilising the region. For the tens of thousands of Palestinians whose livelihoods have been destroyed it is already far too late."}],[{"start":223.19,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1788239154_1521.mp3"}