Wednesday, 13 January 2021_The European Union and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have condemned the Israeli regime’s plan to advance the construction of hundreds of more settler units in the occupied West Bank in an apparent attempt to propel such land grab projects shortly before pro-settlement US President Donald Trump leaves office.
“We call on Israel to stop these actions and focus on resuming dialogue rather than building illegal settlements,” the Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Commission, Peter Stano, said in a statement on Tuesday.
He said, “Our firm position on building of settlements does not change, as they are illegal under international law. They represent obstacles to the peace process and the two-state solution to establish an independent Palestinian state and a barrier to building confidence between the two parties.”
The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also denounced Israel’s decision to 800 settler units in the occupied West Bank.
The organization said the move constitutes a flagrant breach of the international law and relevant UN resolutions, most notably Security Council Resolution 2334.
“Israel’s illegal settlement construction and expansion policies in the occupied Palestinian lands neither serve the internationally agreed two-state solution peace process nor the Arab Peace Initiative,” the OIC pointed out.
The so-called Arab Peace Initiative, which was proposed by Saudi Arabia and endorsed by the Arab League in 2002, calls on Israel to agree to a “two-state solution” along the 1967 lines and a “just” solution to the Palestinian refugee issue.
Moreover, Secretary General of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Nayef bin Falah al-Hajraf, said in a statement that the council completely rejects Israeli settlement construction plans in the West Bank and the imposition of its sovereignty over the area.
He called on the international community to press Israeli authorities to reverse their settlement expansion decisions that are contrary to the international law and principles, protect Palestinian people and stop attacks and violations in the occupied Palestinian territories.
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