The United States has registered profound concern following Israel’s sanctioning of approximately 5,700 new housing units for Jewish settlers in the contested West Bank territory.
In a recent address to the media, Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the State Department, expressed America’s deep disturbance over the move. He stated that both publicly and privately, US officials have underscored their disapproval of Israel’s actions which further the growth of settlements.
These settlements, formed on territory seized by Israel during the 1967 Middle East war, are widely regarded as unlawful by the international community. Their existence remains a pivotal challenge in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian discord.
Miller underscored, “We see these settlements as stumbling blocks to a negotiated two-state resolution.”
The new housing units, spread across multiple West Bank regions, received the green light from Israel’s Supreme Planning Council. The Council granted final consent for 818 units, while the remaining ones are undergoing various approval stages. Jewish settler leadership has hailed the decision.
Shlomo Ne’man, chair of the Yesha Council and head of the West Bank Gush Etzion Regional Council, applauded the government’s actions. He stated, “This is the most fitting Zionist response to those striving to annihilate us, particularly during these challenging times.”
However, Palestinians aspire to establish an independent state within the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital. While Israeli settlers invoke historical Jewish connections to the territories, peace negotiations brokered by the United States have been at a standstill since 2014.
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The US, despite intermittent tensions with the six-month-old coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has consistently alerted Israeli officials that settlement expansion acts as a barrier to peace with Palestinians.
“The proliferation of settlements diminishes the feasibility of a geographic two-state solution, heightens tension, and further degrades trust between both parties,” conveyed a US National Security Council spokesperson.
Miller echoed this concern, highlighting reports of alterations to Israel’s settlement administration system that fast-track the approval of settlements.
Netanyahu’s coalition, since assuming office in January, has given the nod to over 7,000 new housing units, with a significant number situated deep within the West Bank.
“The Israeli government is propelling us towards a full annexation of the West Bank at an unparalleled pace,” warned the Israeli settlement watchdog, Peace Now.
The past weeks have seen a surge of violence in the West Bank, with significant numbers of Israeli settlers rampaging through Palestinian towns and villages. This escalation, which triggered widespread international reproach and concern from the White House, followed a fatal Hamas gun attack on four Israelis.
The Israeli military announced that an Israeli soldier is under investigation “for participating in a violent clash between Israelis and Palestinians” in the Palestinian town of Umm Safa.
This report is based on an article by Malay Mail.
