AMMAN — The
Israeli government has informed the Biden
administration of its intention to announce the construction and planning of
thousands of new housing units in the settlements in the occupied West Bank
later this month, according to officials from both Israel and the US, as
reported by Axios.
اضافة اعلان
Concerns for the two-state solution
The
Biden administration has consistently expressed strong
opposition to new construction in Israeli settlements, viewing them as
detrimental to the prospects of a two-state solution for the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
This stance reflects the international community's
widespread belief that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under
international law.
Details of the planned announcement
The upcoming announcement is expected to include the
unveiling of at least 4,000 housing units across several
existing West Bank settlements, revealed a source familiar with the matter.
The Israeli civil administration planning and zoning
committee is set to convene by the end of June to approve these new settlement
plans, according to an Israeli official.
Israeli and US officials have confirmed that the
Biden administration is urging the Israeli government to either halt or minimize the
settlement announcement.
The White House National Security Council spokesperson
directed Axios to the Israeli government for comment and stressed that
advancing settlements obstructs peace and the realization of a two-state
solution.
A spokesperson from the State Department emphasized the need
for all parties to uphold their commitments to avoid actions that undermine the
prospects for a two-state solution.
Despite requests for comment, the
Israeli Prime Minister's
Office has not responded to inquiries regarding this matter.
Settlement plan postponed due to diplomatic pressure
The Israeli government has faced criticism from some of its
supporters due to its decision to delay a scheduled meeting concerning the E1
settlement plan in the West Bank.
The E1 area, located between Jerusalem and the
Maale Adumim settlement, is diplomatically sensitive.
Constructing an Israeli settlement in this region would
impede Palestinian territorial contiguity between the northern and southern
parts of the West Bank, making it considerably more challenging to establish a
Palestinian state in the future. The decision to postpone the E1 plan was a
result of pressure from the Biden administration and several European
countries.
In response to criticism over the delay of the E1 plan,
Israeli Finance Minister
Bezalel Smotrich told the Israeli public during a
press conference on Monday that there will be significant news concerning the
West Bank settlements in the near future.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the
Palestinian Authority has called for a firm American stance regarding Israel’s
intention to construct thousands of new settlement units in the
occupied West Bank.
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