Palestinian Presidency today condemned Israel’s approval of the construction of thousands of new colonial settler units in the occupied East Jerusalem.
Presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh decried Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to approve the construction of 5,200 new units in the illegal colonial settlements of Givat Hamatos and Har Homa, located to the south of Jerusalem.
“Netanyahu’s insistence to build thousands of new settler units on the territories of the Palestinian state is a systematic destruction of the two-state solution,” Abu Rudeineh stated.
He noted that the new settlement construction was designed to implement the ]US ‘peace plan’, dubbed[ “deal of the century”, which violates resolutions of international legitimacy and norms of international law, under which settlement construction is illegal.
He reiterated that Netanyahu’s attempt to win the votes of the right-wing parties at the expense of the Palestinian people’s rights will not bring about peace and stability, and would drag the region into a downwards spiral of tension and violence with unexpected repercussions.
He warned that the implementation of the new settlement plan would fully cut off Jerusalem from Bethlehem, and subsequently what chance remains for establishing just and comprehensive peace based on resolutions of international legitimacy.
He urged the international community to immediately intervene to stop Israel’s madness aimed to impose the policy of fait accompli.
Referring to the US ‘peace plan’, designed to force Palestinians into submission to perpetual Israeli dominance, he affirmed President Mahmoud Abbas’ ongoing efforts to face the “deal of the disgrace” and any Israeli decisions to implement the deal.
Netanyahu’s approval of the thousands of new settler units in so-called Givat Hamatos and Har Homa follows the preparation of a master plan to build 9,000 new colonial settler units on the former Qalandia airport to the north of Jerusalem.
The new settlement construction plans would further strangle Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, from all sides, making the ghettoization of the city an unavoidable reality, and undermine any prospects for territorial contiguity of a future Palestinian state.
