Palestinian Presidential Kutuk Approval For Construction Of Hundreds Of Israeli Illegal Residentials In The West Bank

Illustration of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. (Wikimedia Commons/Ralf Roletschek)

JAKARTA - The Palestinian presidency condemned the announcement of the Israeli occupation authority regarding the construction of hundreds of new illegal residences in the occupied West Bank, Palestine.

Israeli media on Wednesday reported occupation authorities approved plans to build 764 illegal new residences in the West Bank, a move that goes against international law.

The Palestinian presidency condemned the announcement as an attempt to weaken international efforts to stop violence and escalation and achieve stability in the region.

Presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said Israel's decision to be unacceptable and violate international legitimacy and international law, particularly UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which confirmed that all settlement activities in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, were illegal, stressing that this colonial decision would not give anyone legitimacy or security, as reported by WAFA (11/12).

Abu Rudeineh stressed that the occupation government bears full responsibility for the dangerous consequences of this destructive policy, which aims to spark conflict in the region, drag it into cycles of violence and war, and weaken any attempt to get the region out of ongoing chaos.

"We call on the administration of US President Donald Trump to put pressure on occupation authorities to reverse their residential policies, annexation and expansion efforts, as well as Palestinian land theft, and to force them to comply with international legitimacy and international law," he explained.

"This is important to ensure the success of President Trump's efforts in stopping the war and achieving stability in the region," he said.

Earlier, Israeli media Channel 7 reported that the government's High Planning Council approved the construction of 478 settlers' homes in Hashmonaim settlements, west of Ramallah in the central West Bank, 230 houses in Beitar Illit, and 56 units in Giv'at Ze'ev, quoted from Anadolu (11/12).

However, there was no official statement by the Israeli government regarding the development.

The construction of Israeli settlements has escalated rapidly across the occupied West Bank, since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's current government came to power by the end of 2022.

Local media said 51,370 settlers' homes had been approved across the occupied territories since the beginning of the current administration.

According to data from the Israeli anti-residential group, Peace Now, more than 700,000 illegal settlers live in the West Bank, including some 250,000 in East Jerusalem.

On the other hand, the United Nations has repeatedly emphasized that Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories are illegal under international law, warning the settlements undermine the prospects for a two-state solution.

Last July, the International Court (ICJ) declared Israel's occupation of illegal Palestinian territories and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.