The legalization of nine illegal settler outposts in the occupied West Bank and other Palestinian territories by Israel’s far-right cabinet drew criticism from the Palestinian Authority (PA), which referred to the action as an “open war” against its citizens; and also condemnation from western ministers.
In separate, current illegal settlements, more housing units will probably be constructed, according to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Sunday.
According to reports, in more than 200 settlements established on Palestinian lands that are deemed illegal by international law, more than 500,000 Israelis reside. According to Palestinians, the two-state solution’s two-state solution is threatened by the expansion of settlements.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Palestinian foreign ministry claimed that the most recent decision had violated “all red lines” and undercut efforts to restart “the peace process.”
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According to Bezalel Smotrich, the extreme Israeli finance minister, 10,000 new homes will be approved. Smotrich continued by saying that he and his allies were dedicated to completely lifting the restrictions on construction in the occupied West Bank.
Following the United States, which has been a stunt supporter given Israel military aid worth billions of dollars, and other foreign ministers from France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom have condemned the proposed expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The decision, according to the office of the Israeli prime minister, was made in retaliation for two recent attacks in Jerusalem that left 10 Israelis dead. In an attack on Friday in Ramot, a Jewish settlement neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem, three Israelis, including two children, were killed.
Anniken Huitfeldt, the foreign minister of Norway, also denounced Israel’s plans, stating that its settlement policy on occupied territory is illegal under international law and must be stopped.
The Arab world has also denounced the Israeli settlement plans. Itamar Ben-Gvir, a controversial minister from Israel’s right-wing, stated he wanted to see more Jewish settlements.
At least 46 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces this year, as Israeli-Palestinian violence has increased. However, in the previous six weeks, Palestinian retaliatory attacks have claimed the lives of nine Israelis and one Ukrainian.
In the past two days, Israeli forces in the West Bank have killed at least two Palestinians, among them a teenager.
Following months of violence in the occupied West Bank and Al Quds, calls from around the world for a de-escalation of tensions between Israelis and Palestinians are contradicted by these remarks.
Israeli settlement activities in the occupied territories have been denounced by the UN Security Council in a number of resolutions. Hossein Al Sheikh a Senior Palestinian official acknowledge the Western powers’ joint statement denouncing the Israeli plan to expand its illegal settlements, however, he insisted that mere condemnation will yield no effect rather more actions are needed to be taken.
