Jordan condemns Israeli decision to build new illegal settlement units

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
25 Mar 2023 17:23

The Jordanian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson underlines that settlement activities are a flagrant and gross violation of international law.

The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates (US State Department)

The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates denounced on Saturday the Israeli occupation government's decision to authorize construction bids for more than 1,000 new illegal settlement units in the occupied West Bank and the eastern part of occupied Al-Quds.

Jordanian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Sinan Majali underlined that settlement activities are "a flagrant and gross violation of the international law and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334."

دانت #وزارة_الخارجية_وشؤون_المغتربين طرح السلطات الإسرائيلية عطاءات لبناء أكثر من ألف وحدة استيطانية جديدة في الأراضي الفلسطينية المحتلة، مؤكدة بأن النشاطات الاستيطانية تعد خرقاً فاضحاً وجسيماً للقانون الدولي وفي مقدمها قرار مجلس الأمن رقم ٢٣٣٤. pic.twitter.com/yf5uEEEOcU
— وزارة الخارجية وشؤون المغتربين الأردنية (@ForeignMinistry) March 25, 2023

Majali pointed out that the entire settlement policy pursued by the Israeli occupation is a violation of international law that undermines efforts to "achieve peace and the chances of a two-state solution" based on international legitimacy resolutions.

The Jordanian diplomat stressed that unilateral actions by the Israeli occupation, "the occupying power, including expansion of settlements, confiscation of land and eviction of Palestinians are illegal, unacceptable and condemned actions that are in serious violation of the international humanitarian law."

This week, the Netanyahu government issued bids to build 1,029 illegal settlement units in the occupied West Bank and Al-Quds, despite a couple of days ago reaffirming, during a security meeting in Egypt's Sharm El-Sheikh, its "commitment to stop discussion of any new settlement units for 4 months and to stop authorization of any outposts for 6 months."

It is noteworthy that the same "pledge" was made by the Israeli occupation in the Aqaba meeting that was held by Jordan a couple of weeks ago. However, Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later confirmed that "the construction of settlement outposts in the West Bank will continue without any change."

And on February 15, the Israeli occupation cabinet approved the construction of more than 7,000 illegal settlement units in the occupied West Bank, with the Palestinian Information Center revealing the exact number of the planned units at 7,032.

Most recently, on Tuesday, the Israeli Knesset rescinded legislation ordering the evacuation of four settlements in the occupied West Bank 18 years after it was passed.

The original law mandated the evacuation of four illegal Israeli settlements in the northern West Bank as well as "Tel Aviv's" disengagement from the Gaza Strip, marking one of the first major moves taken by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's highly controversial far-right cabinet.

The law being repealed would allow Israelis to return to the settlements in question on condition of approval by the Israeli occupation military.

Under international law, all Israeli settlements are illegal, and the United Nations Security Council has condemned Israeli settlement activities in the occupied territories in several resolutions.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in late February that Israeli-built settlements are "illegal" and they "must stop".

On Monday, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry also condemned the provocative and racist statements of Israeli occupation Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich who claimed that "there is no such thing as Palestinian people."

During his participation in an event in Paris, Smotrich, who heads the Religious Zionist Party, appeared on Sunday giving a speech before a map of the so-called "Greater Israel" that included Jordan and the occupied Palestinian territories.

As a result, the Jordanian parliament on Wednesday asked the government to expel the Israeli Ambassador in Amman in protest of Smotrich's statements and actions, Al Mayadeen correspondent reported.

Our correspondent said the Jordanian MPs voted unanimously on the request to expel "Tel Aviv's" ambassador, adding that the Jordanian parliament raised during the session a map similar to the one used by Smotrich in Paris, but it had the Jordanian and Palestinian flags on it.