Arab League slams Israel’s plan of legalizing settlement outposts in West Bank
►► Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit on Saturday strongly condemned an Israeli plan to legalize settlement outposts in the West Bank and impose sanctions on the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Cairo | In a statement, he labeled the Israeli plan as a « complete coup against the Oslo agreement, » and accused the Israeli government of trying to dismantle the PA and having no interest in promoting peace in the region.
As the international community aspires to expand the recognition of the Palestinian state, the AL chief said Israel’s actions appear « embarrassing and humiliating. »
On Thursday, according to Israeli state-owned Kan TV, the Israeli security cabinet in a session discussed a plan proposed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to address the recognition of a Palestinian state by several countries and measures taken against Israel in international courts. The plan involves taking punitive measures against the PA, legalizing five settlement outposts in the West Bank, and issuing tenders for constructing thousands of housing units in the settlements.
According to Smotrich’s proposal, five settlement outposts will be legalized in response to the five countries that recognized a Palestinian state following the outbreak of the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Oct. 7, 2023.
Some ministers and military personnel reportedly expressed opposition to the plan, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not state his position on the matter but temporarily suspended the session for consultations, according to Kan TV.
Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967 and has since established settlements there, which are widely regarded as violations of international law.
by Xinhua
