LONDON: The British Minister for the Middle East Alistair Burt condemned the advancement of plans by Israel for 1,122 settlements across the West Bank.
Burt said that “The UK strongly condemns the advancement by the Israeli authorities of plans and tenders for settlement units across the West Bank. We call on Israel to reconsider these proposals. Settlements are illegal under international law and undermine the physical viability of the two-state solution.”
Israel approved on Tuesday 1,122 new settlement units throughout the West Bank, and published tender announcements for 651 units, Israeli NGO Peace Now said.
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Thursday: “President (Donald) Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital did not only disqualify the US from playing any constructive role toward achieving peace, but it provided the extremist Israeli government with an opportunity and the green light to speed up its plans for the dispossession of the Palestinian people.”
Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) executive committee, told Arab News: “This is settler colonialism on the rampage. Israel is sealing the fate of the West Bank and Palestinian statehood unilaterally while the world seems to be helpless and hapless. Israeli arrogance of power and impunity is shameful indeed.”