Strengthening defenses for communities in Judea and Samaria and security preparations for 2027 were the focus of a conference held in Ariel, attended by Judea and Samaria Division Commander Brig. Gen. Kobi Heller, local authority heads, and other commanders. During the conference, local authority heads were presented with a security assessment and the main elements of preparations for the coming year. Discussions focused on further strengthening defenses for communities and residents, and on the coordination required between the military and local leadership.
Infrastructure efforts in Judea and Samaria were also discussed. The talks addressed ongoing cooperation between the IDF and the communities, as well as meeting residents' needs while ensuring a safe daily routine. The conference was led by the Judea and Samaria regional defense command and the Yesha Council. Alongside local authority heads and military commanders, participants included representatives of the Defense Ministry's Settlement Division, the Home Front Command, the Civil Administration, the Israel Fire and Rescue Authority, Israel Police and Magen David Adom.
Arutz Sheva reports a planning conference on protecting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. In its own voice it calls the territory Judea and Samaria and the settlements communities. It never tells the reader that the territory is occupied or that the ICJ has found the settlements illegal. Palestinians do not appear at all.
Uses the occupation's words
Serious
“Community security”
Why this matters
The headline calls the security of Israeli settlements "Community security", in the outlet's own voice.
The impression it gives
A reader believes the conference was about protecting ordinary towns or neighbourhoods.
The context
The body shows these are settlements. The conference was run with the settlers' council, and the Defence Ministry's Settlement Division took part. The ICJ has found the settlements illegal.
How we know
Elsewhere in the article“the Judea and Samaria regional defense command and the Yesha Council”
Elsewhere in the article“the Defense Ministry's Settlement Division”
On the recordThe International Court of Justice's July 2024 advisory opinion found Israel's settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal under international law.icj-cij.org (opens in a new tab)
The outlet reports infrastructure work for settlements under the name "Judea and Samaria", with no word that the land is occupied.
The impression it gives
A reader believes this is routine municipal infrastructure inside Israel.
The context
Building infrastructure for settlements in the occupied West Bank extends a settlement enterprise that the ICJ has found illegal under international law.
How we know
Elsewhere in the article“Strengthening defenses for communities in Judea and Samaria”
On the recordThe International Court of Justice's July 2024 advisory opinion found Israel's settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal under international law.icj-cij.org (opens in a new tab)
The outlet describes the occupying army's coordination with settlements as cooperation with "the communities".
The impression it gives
A reader believes the army is serving the local population in general.
The context
The "communities" are settlements represented by the Yesha Council. The Palestinians who live in the same territory under military occupation are not mentioned. NewsCord's record finds that settlers in the West Bank operate armed by the Israeli state and accompanied by its army.
How we know
Elsewhere in the article“the Yesha Council”
On the recordWest Bank settlers operate armed by the Israeli state and accompanied by the Israeli army.newscord.org (opens in a new tab)
“further strengthening defenses for communities and residents”
Why this matters
The outlet presents the military protection of settlements as plain community defence. Nowhere does the article say that the territory is occupied or that the settlements are illegal.
The impression it gives
A reader believes Israel is defending lawful towns on its own land, and that "residents" means everyone who lives there.
The context
The ICJ's July 2024 advisory opinion found the occupation unlawful and the settlements illegal. The article turns on securing those settlements, yet it leaves their legal status out entirely and never mentions the Palestinians who live in the territory.
How we know
Checked against the whole articleIt never uses the words “occupied”, “occupation”, “illegal”, “unlawful” and “Palestinian”.
On the recordThe International Court of Justice's July 2024 advisory opinion found Israel's occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem unlawful.icj-cij.org (opens in a new tab)
On the recordThe International Court of Justice's July 2024 advisory opinion found Israel's settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal under international law.icj-cij.org (opens in a new tab)
The conference planned the protection of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, which the International Court of Justice found illegal under international law in July 2024.