Hamas condemns US ambassador’s call to build more settlements

The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas condemned on Thursday the statements issued by US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, in which he called on Tel Aviv to “increase the pace of building settlements.”

On Monday, TV7 Israel News reported that Friedman called on Israel, during a visit to the family of a settler who was found dead in Jenin 11 days ago, to accelerate the pace of settlement construction in the West Bank in response to her murder.

Settler Esther Horgen was killed on 20 December, near the settlement of Tal Menashe, north of the West Bank.

Member of Hamas International Relations Office Basem Naim asserted in a statement, of which Anadolu Agency obtained a copy, that Friedman: “Confirms the US approach that endorses the Zionist enemy against the Palestinian people.”

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“Friedman is the ambassador of a powerful country, which requires him to abide by international law and reject settlement, as it constitutes a violation of international law,” Naim added.

Naim accused the US ambassador of: “Pushing towards stirring more chaos and instability, and reinforcing the law of the jungle.”

He indicated that Friedman’s statements constitute: “A direct violation of the inalienable rights of our people.”

The Israeli human rights movement, Peace Now, confirmed that settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories have doubled during the era of US President Donald Trump.

Data released by the organisation demonstrates that there are 661,000 Israeli settlers, 132 large settlements and 124 random settlement outposts (not authorised by the Israeli government) in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as of late November.

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