Jerusalem: The Arab Parliament on Friday condemned the declaration by the Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich that the occupation planned to build 3,400 new settlement units at a location between Jerusalem and the West Bank.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the scheme is a flagrant challenge to international law and relevant international legitimacy resolutions, the parliament's chairperson, Mohammad Al-Yamahi, said in a statement. Al-Yamahi rejected the occupation's escalatory settlement policy for liquidating the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian presence, holding the occupation responsible for such practices.
This step is described as a dangerous escalation of the illegal settlement policies and comes as part of a systematic policy to impose a de facto situation and Judaize the Palestinian territories, thus utterly jeopardizing the opportunities to achieve a just peace and the internationally recognized two-state solution, the Arab Parliament chairman said.
He called upon the international community, namely the UN Security Council and the parties that sponsor the peace process, to uphold their legal and moral responsibilities. He urged them to take effective decisions to stop the violations and ensure that the occupation is held accountable for crimes against the Palestinian people, their territories, and sanctities. He also highlighted the need to halt the dangerous escalation by the settlers, which would only lead to more tension and instability.
The Arab Parliament chief renewed full support for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, particularly their right to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital, according to the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab peace initiative.