Palestinians view the new plans as part of an accelerated Israeli policy aimed at expanding illegal settlements, confiscating Palestinian land and creating new facts on the ground.
The Palestinian Authority said on Wednesday that the Israeli decision constitutes a “blatant challenge to international law and UN resolutions”, particularly UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which affirms the illegality of the Israeli settlements in all occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.
It held the Israeli authorities responsible for the “serious consequences” of the settlement policies, warning that they would push the region toward “further cycles of violence and escalation.”
The authority called on the US administration to intervene immediately “to stop the Israeli madness if it genuinely seeks to promote security and stability in the region and globally.”
Netanyahu’s government has openly championed a significant expansion of illegal settlement activity since taking office at the end of 2022. According to estimates, more than 750,000 Israeli occupiers live in the occupied West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.
In a landmark opinion in July 2024, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
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