PA condemns new Israel settlements in Hebron

The Palestinian Authority (PA) on Thursday condemned the latest Israeli approval of the construction of 372 new settlement units in the southern West Bank city of Hebron.

In a statement, the PA’s foreign minister asserted that this Israeli move: “Is an extension of the process of deepening and expanding the illegal settlements in the heart of the old city of Hebron.”

The “provocative” move, as stated by the PA, came just a few days after the Israeli approval of building 11,000 units on the site of the old Qalandia Airport in East Jerusalem, also known as the Jerusalem International Airport.

According to the statement, the PA also condemned Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to the settlement to celebrate Hanukkah, where he lit the festival’s candle at the Ibrahimi Mosque.

The PA warned the international community about the damage to the principle of the two-state solution caused by the continuous building of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

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“The two-state solution is subjected to the most heinous process of sabotage because of Israel’s policy about controlling the Palestinian land during its accelerated annexation of the West Bank,” the PA declared.

On Thursday, Israeli media reported that the Kiryat Arba council in the Palestinian city of Hebron had approved the construction of 372 new housing units in the local settlement area, including public buildings, educational institutions, commercial buildings and public parks.

Official figures state that more than 600,000 Israeli Jewish settlers live in about 140 settlements approved by the Israeli government and around 145 settlement outposts unapproved by the Israeli government in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Israel occupied the territories in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967 and has controlled them ever since.

The settlements are considered a violation of international law by most of the international community.