Jerusalem
More than 130,000 Israelis joined hands this week to form a 55-mile human chain, stretching from the Gaza Strip to Jerusalem. The demonstrators were protesting the planned withdrawal of Jewish settlements from Gaza. “You cannot expel Jews from their houses, houses they’ve lived in for three generations already,” said activist Shimon Levy. Around 7,500 Jews currently live in heavily guarded settlements in Gaza, protected by 20,000 troops and surrounded by 1.3 million Palestinians. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said he will shut down the settlements and relocate the settlers, and polls show that a large majority of Israelis support that move. But the plan still needs approval from the Israeli legislature, where Sharon’s Likud Party and its coalition allies no longer have a majority.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
What has Kamala Harris done as vice president?In Depth It's not uncommon for the second-in-command to struggle to prove themselves in a role largely defined by behind-the-scenes work
-
Today's political cartoons - September 16, 2024Monday's cartoons - a second assassination attempt, eating pets, and more
-
'If this is a race, China has a commanding lead'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
