Israel approving settlement units is a blow

Member of the Central Committee of Fatah movement , Major General Jibril Rajoub, on Sunday said that Israel’s announcement to build hundreds of settlement units in the West Bank represents a disregard for international will expressed by the world through the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, which condemned Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories and occupied Jerusalem and considered it impedes peace efforts.

Rajoub told PNN reporter that Israeli settlement activity is illegal and illegitimate, and is a malignant cancer that threatens the safety and security of the region, adding that this is also a blow to U.S. President, Trump, since the municipality claimed that it is he embodies the instructions and vision of US President Donald Trump.

Rajoub also demanded Trump to clarify whether he was part of the Israeli settlement policy, whether they are pro-settlements and apartheid, or the international one that support the right to democracy and self-determination.

This morning, the Jerusalem municipality on Sunday has approved the construction of 560 new settlement units in three East Jerusalem settlements.

The approval comes two days after Donald Trump became officially president of the US. He had already shown support for the settlements and pledged to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

According to Reuters, chairman of Jerusalem city hall’s Planning and Building committee Meir Turgeman told Israel Radio the permits were held up until the end of the Barack Obama administration, which was critical of Israeli settlement activity.

In December, the UN Security Council has voted in favour of a resolution that condemns illegal settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem. For the first time, the US abstained from voting on an anti-Israeli resolution, that was slammed by Netanyahu.

Israeli settlements are illegal in international law.

Source :PNN