West Jerusalem has eased new settlement construction and expanded its powers in the occupied territories
London has condemned the decision by Israel’s security cabinet to facilitate settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, urging it to reverse the move.
The change will make it easier for Jewish settlers to buy land in the West Bank, abolishing the need to secure a special permit from the Israeli authorities.
Moreover, it also gives more powers to the authorities in the areas supposed to be under full Palestinian control.
The decision has been strongly condemned by the British government, which has called upon Israel to reverse it immediately.
“Any unilateral attempt to alter the geographic or demographic make-up of Palestine is wholly unacceptable and would be inconsistent with international law,” the UK government said in a statement.
According to hardline ultranationalist Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, West Jerusalem is adamant about continuing “to kill the idea of a Palestinian state.” In a joint statement with Defense Minister Israel Katz, Smotrich explained the security cabinet’s decisions made over the weekend.
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