June 19 (UPI) — The nationalist-religious coalition government of Israel has revealed its intentions to accelerate the construction of settlements in the occupied West Bank, provoking concerns in Washington, which has consistently expressed opposition to such destabilizing actions.
Israel’s government has decided to push forward with plans to build 4,560 new housing units throughout the occupied territory, taking steps to expedite the construction through a passed resolution.
The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the United States under President Joe Biden have clashed over Netanyahu’s efforts to establish further settlements in the occupied West Bank. Late Sunday, the U.S. State Department expressed deep concern regarding the latest advancements.
“As we have long maintained, the United States opposes unilateral actions that hinder the achievement of a two-state solution and act as obstacles to peace,” stated State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.
The State Department’s statement came after Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced plans for the construction of 4,560 new housing units across the West Bank.
The Israeli government also passed a resolution during a cabinet meeting, granting Smotrich authority over the approval of planning construction in West Bank settlements. This expedites the advancement of those projects by removing barriers.
“As promised, we are moving forward with the construction of thousands more units in Yosh,” declared Smotrich. “We will continue to develop the settlement and strengthen Israel’s presence in the territory.”
These developments follow the Netanyahu government’s previous announcements this year regarding the construction of thousands of new settlement homes in the West Bank. These announcements have faced strong opposition from the United States.
The occupation of Palestinian territory by Israel and the establishment of settlements are widely regarded as illegal under international law, drawing consistent criticism and condemnation from the United Nations.
The Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates strongly condemned these developments, warning of the risks associated with further annexation of the West Bank by Israeli law.
“The ministry calls for real international and American action and pressure on the Israeli government to dissuade them from making these decisions, and to take appropriate measures to halt the illegal unilateral actions that undermine the opportunity to achieve a two-state solution,” the ministry said in a statement.
