Israel's approval to construct 1122 new settlement is a violation of international law: Momani

Palestine

Published: 2018-01-12 18:00

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 14:26


Israel approved the decision to build thousands of settlemnts in the Palestinian territories.
Israel approved the decision to build thousands of settlemnts in the Palestinian territories.

Israel's approval for the construction of 1122 new settlement units in the occupied Palestinian territories, in addition to plans and tenders for other units constitutes a violation of international law, the Jordanian State Minister for Media Affairs and Government Spokesperson, Mohammed Momani, said.

The approval mirrors a unilateral behavior by the Israeli government which does not take into consideration the two-state solution, Momani said according to Petra News.

He stressed that the UN Security Council Resolution 2334 considered Israel's establishment of settlements in Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, and it had no legal validity, it is a clear expression of the international consensus in this regard.

The only way to achieve peace and security, Momani confirmed, is to establish an independent Palestinian state on pre-1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on international terms of reference, and the Arab Peace Initiative.

On Thursday, the Israeli government approved on Wednesday the construction of hundreds of settlement units on Palestinian owned-lands in the occupied West Bank.

The government approved a plan to build more than 200 units in the settlement of "Oranit".

It also approved another plan to build more than 50 units in the settlement of "Betsal’el" in the Jordan Valley, in addition to other plans in the settlements of "Ariel" and "Alfei Menashe" near the West Bank city of Salfit, Haaretz reported.

The United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov also condemned the Israeli decision, saying that settlements construction in the occupied West Bank is illegal and a major obstacle to peace.

On its turn, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned on Thursday the decision saying that settlements’ activities are contrary to international law as stressed in resolution 2334 of the UN Security Council.

It hinders the search for a just and lasting peace, impedes the two-state solution and living side by side in peace and security as well as contributes to the fueling of the tensions on the ground.

Last year, the Israeli civil administration finalized the approval of constructing 3,000 settlement units. However, only tens of units were built while other tenders were postponed.

The Israeli Minister of Public security, Avigdor Lieberman, published an article during the last week announcing the building of settlement units.

He also announced plans to build other settlement units.

It came following the shooting incident in southern Nablus on Tuesday, in which a settler was killed, Israeli officials including Lieberman and chair of "The Jewish House" Naftali Bennett proposed turning the "Havat Gilad" outpost to a settlement and build more units in it.