Palestinian Authority condemns ‘Israel’s’ approval of West Bank settlement

The Palestinian Authority on Wednesday slammed ‘Israel's’ approval of a key settlement project in the occupied West Bank, saying it undermined the chances of a two-state solution.

The approval of the project in the area known as E1 "fragments... geographic and demographic unity, entrenching the division of the occupied West Bank into isolated areas and cantons that are disconnected from one another, turning them into something akin to real prisons," the PA's foreign ministry said in a statement.

‘Israel's’ Civil Administration earlier today approved a controversial settlement project east of Jerusalem, a move that would sever the northern and southern parts of the occupied West Bank and undermine the prospects for a future Palestinian state.

Guy Yifrach, the mayor of the nearby Ma'ale Adumim settlement, said in a statement, "I am pleased to announce that a short while ago, the Civil Administration approved the construction plan for the E1 neighborhood."

‘Israel’ has long sought to build in the E1 area, which covers about 12 square kilometers (4.6 square miles), but the project has faced international opposition that led to its suspension.

Opponents of the settlement project argue that it would destroy Palestinian hopes for a future independent and geographically connected state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Last week, far-right ‘Israeli’ Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich endorsed plans to build about 3,400 housing units in the sensitive area between Jerusalem and the Ma'ale Adumim settlement.

The U.N. secretary-general has previously warned that ‘Israeli’ settlement construction there would “end" hopes for a two-state solution to the ‘Israeli’-Palestinian conflict.

All ‘Israeli’ settlements are considered illegal under international law, whether they are approved by the government or are informal outposts.

Aviv Tatarsky, a researcher at the ‘Israeli’ anti-settlement organization, said, "Today's approval shows how determined Israel is to proceed with what Minister Smotrich described as a strategic program to bury the possibility of a Palestinian state and effectively annex the West Bank."

He added, "This is a conscious Israeli choice to implement a system of apartheid," and called on the international community to take urgent and effective action.

The ‘Israeli’ organization Peace Now, which monitors settlement activity, said last week that infrastructure work in the E1 area could begin within a few months, while residential construction is expected to start in about a year. Around three million Palestinians live in the West Bank, along with about 500,000 ‘Israeli’ settlers.