Palestinian PM Hopes Biden Can Stop Israeli Settlement Development In The West Bank

JAKARTA - Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh expressed his hope that the government of the President-elect of the United States (US), Joe Biden, could curb Israel. He hopes the Jewish-majority country can stop the construction of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, the Heavy Bank.

"We hope that the next administration of the elected American president will make every effort to curb this 'settlement attack'," said Shtayyeh while commenting on Israel's decision to build 780 new illegal settlement units quoted by Yeni Safak, Tuesday, January 19. "Israel is not only a race against time, but is also accepting a new American president with this settlement project package," he added.

Shtayyeh also called for a halt to the construction of settlements that Palestinians call settlements of colonialism. For this reason, Shtayyeh hopes that Biden will help find the right solution for the two countries.

Israel took its second decision to build settlements in the West Bank. Earlier, on January 11, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had already approved the construction of 800 settlement units in the West Bank. Currently, Israeli settlement construction has quadrupled during the tenure of US President Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is considered occupied Palestinian territory under international law. This made all Jewish settlements illegal there.