JERUSALEM: Two former world leaders from The Elders, an international group founded by Nelson Mandela, warned on Friday that the Palestinian territories face the risk of disappearing due to continued Israeli settlement expansion and urged the international community to end what they described as Israeli impunity.
Former Irish president Mary Robinson and former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark made the remarks after visiting Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories, Jordan and Lebanon.
In a joint statement, they accused the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of attempting “to make Palestine disappear physically, economically, culturally and politically.”
Addressing reporters in Jerusalem, the two leaders called on the international community to take stronger action against Israeli policies in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, which Palestinians regard as the future capital of an independent state.
“I think if we were to summarise the key message that we’ve heard across civil society, both in the West Bank and here, as to what are they looking for, it’s accountability and no impunity,” Clark said.
Robinson said she felt “ashamed” that the European Union had not adopted a stronger position, urging Brussels to suspend the trade component of its association agreement with Israel and prohibit trade in goods produced in Israeli settlements.
The former leaders said conditions in the occupied West Bank had deteriorated significantly since their previous visit in 2023, warning that continued settlement expansion could lead to “Palestine disappearing before our eyes.” According to the Israeli anti-settlement organisation Peace Now, Netanyahu’s government has approved 102 settlements in the occupied territory since taking office.
The United Nations has reported a sharp increase in settler violence since the Gaza war began in 2023, while several Israeli ministers have publicly advocated annexing all or parts of the occupied West Bank.
Excluding East Jerusalem, more than 500,000 Israeli settlers live in settlements across the occupied West Bank, which is home to around three million Palestinians.
Under international law, all Israeli settlements in the occupied territory are considered illegal.
During their visit, Robinson and Clark also met Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
“We disagreed on a number of points,” Robinson said.
Israeli parliament dissolved ahead of elections
Separately, Israel’s parliament voted on Friday to dissolve itself, paving the way for national elections scheduled for October 27 as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks another term despite declining public support.
The measure was approved by 62 members of the 120-seat Knesset following a final legislative session in which the government passed several controversial bills aimed at strengthening its coalition and satisfying its ultra-Orthodox allies.
Among the legislation approved were measures reducing the powers of the attorney general, freezing arrests of individuals avoiding military conscription, expanding government oversight of the media, and increasing public funding for political parties ahead of the elections.
