Israeli occupation plan to build 12500 settlement units in occupied Al-Quds undermines any hope to establish an independent Palestinian state

The Israeli occupation has announced a plan to establish 12500 new settlement units on the Palestinians’ lands in occupied Al-Quds in a bid to continue implementing its US-backed expansionist plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank pursuant to the so-called “Deal of the Century”.

By doing so, the Israeli occupation seeks to impose a fait accompli that will permanently eliminate any possibility of establishing an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds as its capital.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said that the Israeli occupation’s plan to establish 3500 new settlement units in the towns of Al-Issawiya, Al-Tur and Anata, as well as 9000 settlement units in the town of Qalandia in occupied Al-Quds, will lead to the displacement of thousands of Palestinians and create a geographic and demographic settlement barrier that isolates occupied A-Quds from its vicinity and divides the West Bank into two parts to separate its north from its south.

 The Ministry called on the international community to break its silence, which encourages the occupation to continue its crimes against the Palestinians, and act to stop this plan. It stressed that the condemnation of these expansionist plans by the UN officials is not enough and it is inconsistent with the political, legal and moral responsibility of the international community and the United Nations towards this heinous crime that amounts to a war crime and a crime against humanity, especially as it is the last episode of the plan to liquidate the Palestinian cause.

Commenting on the occupation’s expansionist scheme, Head of the Commission for Resisting the Apartheid Wall and Settlements Walid Assaf said that the Israeli plans aim at completing the isolation of occupied Al-Quds from the cities of Ramallah and Al-Bireh in order to abort any possibility of establishing a Palestinian state and split the social and economic fabric of the Palestinian cities and towns.

Assaf pointed out that the occupation is using the remaining period of the term of the current US administration, which provides Israel with unprecedented support and international protection, to proceed with its expansionist plans that threaten the entire region.

On his part, Fakhri Abu Dhiab, a specialist in Al-Quds affairs, said that in parallel with the establishment of thousands of settlement units and the seizure of Palestinian lands, the occupation is escalating the demolition of Palestinian houses and facilities.

In addition, he explained, the Israeli settler gangs seize Palestinian properties and houses in the heart of occupied Al-Quds’ neighborhoods and villages, pointing out that the occupation seeks obliterating the geographical, cultural and historical features of Al-Quds and Judaizing it.

Hamda Mustafa