The recent capture of a strategic ridge has further entrenched the Israeli occupation of Lebanese territory, as efforts to broker lasting peace have floundered.
Page A5From§Eachthe matinee edition — 4 September 2026
Settlers block West Bank village as Israel cements foothold across the border
Israeli settlers have imposed a curfew and physically blocked the entrance to a Palestinian village in the West Bank. On the same day, Israeli authorities announced they are 'cementing' their military foothold in southern Lebanon. The mechanisms are different — one a civilian blockade, the other a military entrenchment — but the effect is the same: lines are drawn, doors are closed, and the definition of security is written in concrete. For the people on the wrong side of the checkpoint, the border is always somewhere else, and the future is always on the other side of the wall.
“Lock one door, pour concrete at the next. They tell you it’s for security, but somehow only one side ever loses the key. The border just keeps moving further from home.”
“Israel is simply ensuring stability in a volatile region. These actions are necessary for long-term peace, which sometimes requires temporary inconveniences for some communities. Did I say temporary? That depends on the cement.”
The receipts
The village of al-Mughayyir is on the front line of encroachments by the Israeli army and armed settlers.
This page is a back-issue: the story as it ran, receipts as they were. The current edition is at the front.