Israel’s Minister of Construction Yoav Galant approved Thursday evening plans to construct 2086 illegal settlement units on occupied Palestinian land.
According to the Israeli Channel 2 the motion received the approval of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and war minister Avigdor Lieberman.
The move comes a few days after the occupation government approved the construction of over 6000 settlement units.
Since Trump’s swearing-in the Israeli occupation government signaled the go-ahead for the construction of at least 8000 illegal settlement units mostly in the occupied West Bank.
Meanwhile the Trump administration said on Thursday Israel’s building of new settlements or expansion of existing ones in occupied territories may not be helpful in achieving peace with Palestinians adopting a more measured tone than its previous pro-Israel announcements.
“While we don’t believe the existence of settlements is an impediment to peace the construction of new settlements or the expansion of existing settlements beyond their current borders may not be helpful in achieving that goal” the White House said in a statement.
President Donald Trump the White House statement went on “has not taken an official position on settlement activity.”
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric also expressed concerns over recent announcements by the Israeli government to advance over 5000 settlement units in the occupied West Bank.
“We once again warn against any unilateral actions that can be an obstacle to a negotiated two-state solution and call on both parties to return to meaningful negotiations on the basis of relevant Security Council resolutions and in accordance with international law in order to address all final status issues” said Dujarric.
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini also warned of the repercussions of Israel’s latest decision to expand illegal settlements.
Last December the UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling on Israel to immediately cease illegal settlement expansion. 14 states voted in favor while the U.S. abstained from voting for the first such standpoint adopted by the U.S. since 1979.
