Palestine condemns Israeli law in WB

Palestine's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday condemned in the strongest terms the Knesset's approval of a law meant to retroactively legalize thousands of settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Endorsing the law stirs up speculations about the international community willingness to stick to the two-state solution, the ministry added.

Under the controversial law, some 4,000 settlements built on the private Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank will be legalized and landowners will be financially compensated or given alternative land.

Adopting the law comes amid mounting hysteria in Israel to pass more law on settlements expansion, topped by annexation of Ma'ale Adumim settlement, the ministry warned.

It added that Israel has been exploiting the symbolic and ineffective world denunciation of the settlements, raising alarm that American silence on the issue that jeopardizes the two-state solution. 

Meanwhile, the ministry called on the UN Security Council to advocate its resolutions on settlements, atop which is resolution 2334 (2016).

The ministry also asked the US administration to make clear and explain its stance toward the Israeli escalation which opens door to more extremism in the region.

Source: MENA