RAMALLAH, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Presidency condemned on Thursday Israel's approval of 34 new settlements in the West Bank, considering it a "dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation" of international law and UN resolutions.
In a press statement published by the Palestinian News Agency WAFA, the Presidency affirmed that all settlement activity is illegal in the occupied Palestinian territory, according to international law, most recently UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which affirmed that settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory is contrary to international law and relevant international resolutions, and is illegal and must be halted.
The statement said that the "dangerous decision represents a further Israeli step to implement annexation, expansionist, and displacement plans, the consequences of which will be borne by the extremist right-wing Israeli government, which insists on igniting the region and dragging it into a further cycle of violence and escalation."
The statement called on the international community, particularly the U.S. administration, to intervene immediately to halt these "dangerous unilateral measures" and to pressure Israel to cease its "escalatory policies and ongoing violations" against the Palestinian people and their land.
The statement emphasized the Palestinian people's adherence to their legitimate national rights, foremost among them the establishment of their independent state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. It affirmed that Israeli decisions "will not legitimize the occupation, and all settlements are destined to disappear."
For his part, Mu'ayyad Sha'ban, head of the Commission Against the Wall and Settlements in the Palestine Liberation Organization, considered the Israeli decision "an extremely dangerous leap in the accelerated colonial settlement project on Palestinian land."
In a press statement, Sha'ban said that the decision, with its "unprecedented scale in terms of the number of sites, reaching 34 settlement outposts, aims to further fragment Palestinian geography and isolate its communities."
He called on the international community to take concrete deterrent measures consistent with its declared positions, rejecting settlements, ensuring a halt to this "dangerous escalation," and holding Israel accountable for its grave violations.
Israeli public radio Kan reported that the Israeli Security Cabinet approved a plan to establish 34 new settlements in the West Bank, marking the largest such approval of settlements in a single phase.
Israel seized control of the West Bank in the 1967 war and established settlements there, a move not recognized by the international community.
More than 700,000 Israeli settlers were living in settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in contravention of international law, and 3.3 million Palestinians were living in the same area, according to a 2025 UN report. ■
