Jordan slams Israeli decision to accelerate settlements building in West Bank

By Laith Al-Jnaidi

AMMAN, Jordan (AA) – Jordan on Sunday condemned an Israeli government decision to accelerate settlement building measures in the occupied West Bank.

On Sunday, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu passed a resolution that gives practically all control over planning approval for settlement building in the West Bank to hardline Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

The government also announced new tenders to build some 4,500 settlement units in existing settlements across the West Bank.

"Israel's practices, the occupying power, primarily building and expanding settlements, confiscating lands and displacing Palestinians, are illegitimate, illegal, rejected and condemned," Sinan Majali, a spokesman for the Jordanian Foreign Ministry, said in a statement.

He called on the international community "to take immediate action to stop unilateral Israeli measures."

The United Nations considers the Israeli settlement activity as illegal and undermines the internationally-agreed two-state solution.

Estimates indicate that about 700,000 settlers are living in 164 settlements and 116 outposts in the occupied West Bank.

Under international law, all Jewish settlements in the occupied territories are considered illegal.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar