How Israel 'is consolidating its control' in Gaza and the West Bank as the world focuses on Iran

This Haaretz podcast episode examines how Israel is intensifying its control over the West Bank and Gaza Strip amid global attention focused on the escalating war involving Iran, the U.S., and regional actors. Reporters Matan Golan and Yarden Mikhaeli detail a surge in settler violence and illegal outpost construction in the West Bank, including a high-profile incident where CNN journalists were detained and assaulted by soldiers from the controversial Netzach Yehuda unit. The episode reveals that seven Palestinian men were killed in settler attacks during a single month—many using IDF weapons—and that over 150 outposts now exist in the West Bank, with three established in Area A, a violation of the Oslo Accords. In Gaza, the IDF has consolidated control over 54% of the territory, building 32 outposts along a de facto 'yellow line' established under Trump’s peace plan, which remains stalled. Despite the plan’s stated goal of eventual Israeli withdrawal contingent on Hamas disarming, no clear mechanisms exist for implementation, and the government shows no intention to withdraw. The podcast underscores how the temporary frameworks of Oslo and the Trump plan are being replaced by permanent realities on the ground. Meanwhile, humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain dire: over 2 million people are crammed into less than half the pre-war land, aid has dropped by 80%, and over 18,000 seriously wounded cannot be evacuated due to political delays tied to the Iran war. The episode concludes with a sobering reminder that while the world watches Iran, the ongoing occupation and humanitarian crisis in Palestinian territories continue to deepen. Key takeaways include: 1) The West Bank is experiencing unprecedented settler violence and outpost expansion, especially in Area A, violating international agreements; 2) The IDF is consolidating long-term control in Gaza along a de facto 'yellow line,' with infrastructure and outposts suggesting permanent occupation; 3) The absence of clear withdrawal mechanisms in peace plans enables a trajectory toward permanent control; 4) Humanitarian conditions in Gaza are deteriorating rapidly, with aid cuts and blocked medical evacuations exacerbating suffering; 5) Mainstream Israeli media now discusses 'Jewish terror' as a phenomenon, but political rhetoric often separates it from broader settlement policies, enabling continued violence; 6) The war with Iran is being used as a justification to delay humanitarian and political actions in Gaza and the West Bank.