21 countries flay Israel’s W’Bank settlement project

By Nkliruka Nnorom with agency report

Twenty-one countries, including Britain and France have condemned  Israel’s approval of a major settlement project in the West Bank, describing the plan as unacceptable and a violation of international law.

This came as Israeli military, yesterday, announced it  has started taking steps in its push to capture Gaza City, Hamas’s last major stronghold, following approval of complete takeover of the city by the Defence Minister, Israel Katz.

The plan seeks to build around 3,400 homes on the ultra-sensitive tract of land, which lies between Jerusalem and the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim.

All of Israel’s settlements in the West Bank, occupied since 1967, are considered illegal under international law, regardless of whether they have Israeli planning permission.

“We condemn this decision and call for its immediate reversal in the strongest terms,” said the statement of foreign ministers, whose signatories also included Australia, Canada and Italy.

Other signatories to the statement include: Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and European Commission’s foreign affairs chief.

The statement noted that Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the plan “will make a two-state solution impossible by dividing any Palestinian state and restricting Palestinian access to Jerusalem.

“This brings no benefits to the Israeli people. Instead, it risks undermining security and fuels further violence and instability, taking us further away from peace.

“The government of Israel still has an opportunity to stop the E1 plan going any further. We encourage them to urgently retract this plan,” the foreign ministers said.

The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority (PA) has slammed the latest move, which has also been criticised by UN chief Antonio Guterres.

Britain on Thursday summoned Israeli ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely to the foreign ministry to protest the decision.

“If implemented, these settlement plans would be a flagrant breach of international law and would divide a future Palestinian state in two, critically undermining a two-state solution,” the foreign office said in a statement.

Israel begins offensive in Gaza City after takeover plan approval

The newly approved plan authorises the call-up of roughly 60,000 reservists, deepening fears the campaign will worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

“We are not waiting. We have begun the preliminary actions, and already now, IDF (army) troops are holding the outskirts of Gaza City,” said the Israeli military.

Meanwhile, Israel has launched a series of diplomatic attacks against several of its Western allies as they prepare to recognize a Palestinian state next month, even as it approved a major settlement project in an area of the occupied West Bank, an action the international community warned threatens the viability of a future Palestinian state.

Ahead of the offensive, the Israeli military said the call-up of the reservists would begin in early September, adding the second phase of operation “Gideon’s Chariots” had begun.

Filename: Israel-Gaza 21\08\25

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