Palestine condemns Israel’s new settlement plans

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – The Palestinian Authority (PA) on Wednesday condemned Israeli tenders for the construction of more than 2,500 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank.

“The Israeli government is racing against time to eliminate what remains of any possibility for a two-state solution and to place more obstacles in front of the new US administration,” PA spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said in statements cited by the official Wafa news agency.

The spokesman called on the new US administration to take a clear position on the Israeli settlement policy if it wanted to achieve security and stability in the region.

"All settlement activities are illegal and violate international law,” Abu Rudeineh said.

On Tuesday, Israel published tenders to build 2,572 new settler homes in the West Bank, including 460 units in East Jerusalem, according to the Israeli NGO Peace Now.

The move came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Jan. 11 approved the construction of 800 settlement units in the occupied territory.

Settlement construction quadrupled during the term of US President Donald Trump, who will leave the White House on Wednesday.

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is regarded as "occupied territory" under international law, making all Jewish settlements there illegal.

*Bassel Barakat contributed to this report from Ankara