Jordan, world countries reject Israeli settlement plans

AMMAN — Jordan and world powers have over the weekend denounced Israel’s decision to build nearly 1,122 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank, in addition to floating tenders to build 651 units, reports said. 

In a statement on Friday quoted by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, State Minister for Media Affairs Mohammad Momani said that the decision is a breach of the international law and constitutes a unilateral political act that undermines the two-state solution and the entire Mideast peace process.

Momani stressed the international community’s rejection of the settlements, labelling them as illegal according to the UN resolution 2334.

Momani stressed that all Israeli unilateral measures that aim to impose new realities and change the status quo in the Palestinian occupied lands are “null and void” in the eyes of the international law.

The minister, who is also the government spokesperson, stressed that the only path to stability and peace in the region is the two-state solution that leads to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the lines of pre-1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital.  

On Saturday, Russian Foreign Ministry said that the establishment of new Israeli settlements in the West Bank has undermined the two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

According to the ministry’s statement, Moscow believes Israel’s move does not help create the conditions for establishing direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.

“It is also clear that the continuation of Israeli settlement activities undermines the prospects of a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, reducing the chances of achieving a just and reliable peace in the Middle East,” it added, as quoted by Anadolu news agency.

It said Russia confirmed its “principled position” on the illegality of Israeli settlement activity in the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, Germany late Friday expressed concern over Israel’s approval of thousands of new housing units for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank.

“We note the plans to extend Israeli settlements in the West Bank with great concern,” the country’s foreign ministry said in a written statement, also cited by Anadolu.

The foreign ministry said that “creating facts unilaterally further complicates future negotiations”.

“Only a negotiated two-state solution can do justice to the legitimate claims of both sides,” it added.

According to the Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now, Israeli officials last year approved the construction of 6,742 new settlement units in the West Bank and East Jerusalem — the highest number since 2013.

Some half a million Israelis currently live on more than 100 Jewish-only settlements built since Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967.