Jerusalem (AFP) – The Israeli NGO “Peace Now” said in a new report that the number of informal settlements and new roads built for settlers has increased “in an unprecedented manner” in the occupied West Bank since the beginning of the war in the Gaza Strip.
Published on: 01/06/2024 – 01:57 Last updated: 01/06/2024 – 01:55
2 minutes
According to this organization, nine “settlement outposts” have been established in the West Bank since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas, which began on October 7 with an unprecedented attack launched by the Palestinian Islamic movement and was followed by a large-scale Israeli operation in Gaza.
The West Bank, which has been occupied by the Israeli army since 1967, has witnessed a sharp increase in violence since the beginning of the war in Gaza, and an increase in the activities of some settlers aimed at “marginalizing” the Palestinians there, according to the “Peace Now” organization.
About three million Palestinians live in the occupied West Bank, which is also inhabited by 490,000 Israelis who live in settlements that Israel recognizes but are illegal under international law.
In addition to this “record” number of new informal settlements over a period of three months, “Peace Now” also recorded a “record number” represented by “18 new roads that were paved or permitted by settlers.”
The organization said that the war that has been ongoing for three months in Gaza “is being exploited by settlers to establish a fait accompli on the ground and thus control larger areas of Area C,” which is a part of the West Bank where settlements are concentrated.
A number of settlement supporters currently hold ministerial positions in Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, which also contributes to creating a “political environment” conducive to the development of some settlers’ projects, according to the “Peace Now” report.
The Israeli non-governmental organization Yesh Din said this week that acts of violence committed by settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank set a record high in 2023. The United Nations, for its part, also recorded 1,225 attacks launched by settlers against Palestinians during the same year.
The United States imposed sanctions in early December on dozens of settlers who are now prohibited from entering American territory. Also, France decided to “take measures” against some “extremist” settlers, according to its Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna.
© 2024 AFP
#number #random #settlements #West #Bank #increased #unprecedented #manner #war #Gaza #organization
2024-01-06 00:57:04
