The United States has declared illegal any expansion of settlements in the West Bank of Palestine. At the same time, the country has called such occupation a violation of international law.
The White House officially announced this last Friday in response to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government’s recent announcement of settlement expansion.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Friday that Israel’s plans to build settlements in the West Bank are a violation of international law. Although earlier this kind of illegal occupation was approved by former President Donald Trump administration.
Blinken told a press conference in Argentina, “Our administration is strongly opposed to settlement expansion.” In our view, such an occupation does not strengthen Israel’s security, but rather weakens it.
The decision was announced at the White House before Blinken’s speech, a US official said on condition of anonymity.
Last Thursday, the Netanyahu government announced plans to approve another 3,000 new settlements. The far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced this. Tilly said, ‘All the land of Israel is part of our eternal grasp.’
Regarding this opposition, White House spokesman John Kirby said, “By declaring the settlements illegal, we are only confirming the fundamentals.” Because such a settlement is a violation of international law.
Meanwhile, Israel continues its airstrikes in southern Gaza’s Rafah. Several people were injured. At least 24 people were killed in an attack on a residence next to a refugee camp for displaced Palestinians in Gaza’s Deir el-Balah region.
UNRWA representatives said the agency was no longer able to provide services in northern Gaza. Officials of the organization said that Palestinians are starving because they cannot provide food aid due to the attack and the Israeli blockade.
So far, the number of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks has risen to 29,606. About 70 thousand injured.
