Palestine warns of ‘explosion’ as Israel plans to build thousands of settlement units in West Bank

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – Palestine warned Wednesday that an Israeli plan to build thousands of settlement units in the occupied West Bank will drag the region into an explosion.

Israel’s Supreme Planning Council approved the construction of 3,500 settlement units in the Jewish-only settlements of Ma’ale Adumim, Efrat and Kedar in the West Bank.

This decision “represents a clear Israeli attempt to drag the region into a comprehensive explosion,” Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority, said in a statement.

He said the failure of the international community and the US to punish Israel “has encouraged it to continue challenging and rejecting international legitimacy.”

“Settlement projects are condemned and rejected, and will not bring security to anyone,” the spokesman said.

“This Israeli decision constitutes a slap in the face of the entire world, which called for an end to settlement activity and an end to the violence of terrorist settlers,” he added.

According to Palestinian figures, about 725,000 settlers live in 176 Jewish-only settlements and 186 outposts in the occupied West Bank.

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

*Writing by Mohammad Sio