Palestinian Foreign Ministry Says US Gives Israel Time To Annex The West Bank

Illustration of Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank. 9Wikimedia Commons/Trocaire)

JAKARTA - The Palestinian Authority on Monday accused the United States (US) government of giving Israel time to complete its annexation of the occupied West Bank.

"The US management of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict gave the occupying state (Israel) time to complete the annexation of the West Bank," the Palestinian Foreign Ministry criticized in a statement, citing Yenisafak December 6.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry also called on Washington and the international community to stop the policy of managing the conflict.

"It is necessary to take practical steps to resolve conflicts based on international peace references, and the principle of land for peace and the vision of a two-state solution," the ministry said.

Not only that, the ministry then condemned the Israeli government's approval of the construction of new settlement houses in the occupied West Bank.

Last week, the Israeli government approved eight settlement plans that include the construction of 1.058 settlement units in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Israel and the Palestinian Authority to "refrain from unilateral steps that exacerbate tensions and undermine efforts to advance a negotiated two-state solution, including advancing settlement activities."

Israeli and Palestinian estimates show there are about 650.000 settlers living in 164 settlements and 116 outposts in the West Bank. Under international law, all Jewish settlements in occupied territories are considered illegal.