Palestine and Jordan have fiercely condemned Israel’s latest move to approve 22 new Jewish-only settlements in the occupied West Bank, warning it deepens regional instability and undermines any hopes for peace.
The Palestinian Authority denounced the plan as “a dangerous escalation” that risks inflaming tensions across the region. Jordan’s Foreign Ministry echoed the alarm, branding the decision “a flagrant violation of international law” and “null and void,” reiterating that Israel has no legal sovereignty over Palestinian territory.
Hamas, the Palestinian resistance group, also condemned the expansion, calling it “an impudent challenge to the international will” and evidence of an accelerated campaign to Judaise Palestinian lands. The group urged the United Nations and global powers to take firm action to halt Israel’s settlement policies and protect Palestinian rights.
The Israeli Defence Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that the new settlements were greenlit to strengthen what it called Israel’s “strategic grip” on the West Bank and explicitly stated the expansion aims to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state.
Israeli human rights organization Peace Now sharply criticized the decision, stating, “The Israeli government no longer pretends otherwise […] The government is making clear — again and without restraint — that it prefers deepening the occupation and advancing de facto annexation over pursuing peace.”
The international community, including the UN, maintains that all Israeli settlements in occupied territories are illegal under international law. The UN has consistently warned that such actions undermine the viability of a two-state solution and obstruct efforts to resolve the enduring Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Swifteradio.com
