Israeli settlers attack West Bank village

Valerie Sanderson (0:00)

This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Valerie Sanderson, and at 15 Hours GMT on Tuesday the 29th of September, these are our main stories. Spain's government says it will ban evictions until 2030, as it tries to tackle a housing crisis that has caused widespread public anger. Israeli settlers attack a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank, preventing a family from returning to their home, despite a ruling from the High Court. OpenAI scraps the launch of its next model due to safety concerns.

Also in this podcast, a new film about Facebook.

Aaron Sorkin (0:41)

What began as a cool idea became something huge and frankly monstrous. A machine for pumping out misinformation and making people angry.

Valerie Sanderson (0:58)

A sharp up surge in violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank has been gaining international attention. The latest example is an assault by 100 Israeli settlers who attacked a Palestinian village there, preventing a family going back to their home which had been seized by settlers. The return of the Palestinians to the village of Jalud had been coordinated with the Israeli army after a High Court ruled in their favour.

Our correspondent in Jerusalem, Yul Anel, told me more.

Yul Anel (1:29)

The Tabassi family had been forced to leave their two homes on the edge of the village of Jalud, which is just south of Nablus in the West Bank. That was back in July, and they had been subjected to months of harassment and settler attacks when they fled.

Now, the Israeli High Court had ruled in their favor earlier this month, really putting out a strongly worded statement, calling for the rule of law to be reinstated and calling on Israeli authorities to get this family back to their homes. Now, we were told by Mahmoud Atubassi that he was called late at night and told that that coordination had come through at around midnight local time. So, he, one of his sons and his wife, rushed off to these houses. They were being escorted by Israeli soldiers and Israeli police. But it seems that what happened at the same time, that one of the WhatsApp groups used by these extremist settlers to coordinate their actions put out an alert, saying that the family that they have managed to force out was indeed returning and calling on settlers to come and join an action to stop that return from happening. The family told us that they had just inspected the extensive damage to one of their properties. They sent us a video where you could just see how settlers have torn it apart, smashing the toilet, smashing up the doors, pulling out the electrical fittings. And just as they were in the process of that inspection, settlers started to throw stones at the house, they were told. They said there were more than a hundred of them. That is the same as the statement that's come from the Israeli military. The family said that there were actually five or six soldiers that helped them initially to get into an Israeli military vehicle so that they could leave the scene. That vehicle was attacked with its tires slashed, they said. And then they were put into an armoured vehicle and taken away. After they left, their houses were set on fire.

Valerie Sanderson (3:29)

How are the Israeli authorities reacting to this, Yuland? Because this happened following a High Court ruling that the family should return.

Yul Anel (3:38)

That's right, and I think it just is a very clear illustration of how the Israeli authorities are struggling or indeed failing to deal with settler violence, particularly under the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who, you know, with the far-right elements in his government has really promoted rapid settlement expansion. And the UN is saying that settler violence in the West Bank is at an all-time high.

Now, the Israeli prime minister did put out a statement strongly condemning what had happened, but he was referring to the attacks on the Israeli security forces. Three border police were lightly injured, we're told. The Israeli president has said there has to be decisive action and said this is a moral stain, particularly coming at the time of the Jewish high holiday of Sukkot.

Valerie Sanderson (4:26)

Yulia Nel in Jerusalem.

The Spanish government has approved a proposed ban on evictions until 2030 amid protests across the country over housing. The issue came into sharp focus when an 87-year-old woman who'd lived in her Madrid apartment for decades was evicted when she could no longer afford the massive increase in her rent. Her situation drew huge publicity, and now ministers have decided to introduce new housing decrees, which they say are in response to the demands of the people. The case of pensioner Mari Carmen Abascal seems to have been resolved. Her lawyer, Beatriz Duro, said that she would be allowed to return, paying a rent similar to the old one.