The General Delegation of the PLO to the US condemns in the strongest terms the latest Israeli provocation in retroactively formalizing the status of illegal settlement outposts on occupied
Palestinian land.
The Israeli government on Tuesday retroactively legalized three Jewish settlement outposts in the West Bank, formalizing their status in Israeli laws, thereby effectively establishing three new settlements. This is a clear violation of their Road map obligations as well as commitments made in previously signed agreements. All settlement activity in occupied Palestinian lands is illegal under international law. This latest act by the Israeli government only adds insult to injury.
These actions took place despite the presence in the region of the US special envoy to the Middle East, David Hale, showing complete disregard for the US administrations efforts to
achieve progress in the political process. Israel’s legalizing of the settlement outposts also comes only a week after Palestinian officials delivered a letter from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging the latter to take tangible steps towards delivering on previous commitments.
By taking this step, the Israeli government sends an unequivocal message to the world that it is far more committed to land theft than it is to resolving the conflict. Prime Minister Netanyahu continues to cater to extremists who undermine the prospects of a peaceful resolution to the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. Unfortunately, his agenda is not for peace; his focus is
solely on maintaining his coalition.
The General Delegation of the PLO to the US urges the US administration and the international community to take immediate steps to pressure this Israeli government to cease all of its illegal?settlement activities, and make clear that unilateral actions that undermine the political process will no longer be tolerated.
