Speaker of the Arab Parliament Condemns Occupation Plans to Expand Settlements in the West Bank: Dangerous Escalation to Undermine the Unity of Palestinian Land

The Arab Parliament Speaker, Mohammed Al-Yamahi, condemned the Israeli occupation authorities’ plan to implement the expansionist settlement project in Area E1 of the West Bank, warning of its dangerous repercussions on the territorial integrity of Palestinian lands and the prospects for establishing an independent Palestinian state.

In a statement on Thursday, Al-Yamahi said the plan represents a dangerous escalation in the settlement project and the illegal annexation of Palestinian territories, aiming to fragment the West Bank and isolate its northern part from the southern part, thereby undermining the unity of Palestinian land and practically eliminating the chances of establishing a Palestinian state.

He stressed that the occupation’s continuation of this project despite international warnings constitutes a blatant challenge to international law and resolutions of the competent international bodies, calling on the international community to take practical and deterrent steps to halt settlement and annexation activities and hold those responsible accountable.

Al-Yamahi also condemned remarks by Itamar Ben-Gvir, the so-called Minister of National Security in the occupation government, who called for killing between 30 and 40 Palestinians every night in the Gaza Strip. He described these remarks as explicit and dangerous incitement to kill Palestinians, embodying hate speech, racism, and the dehumanization of the Palestinian people.

He emphasized that such statements issued by a government official in the occupation government represent an extremely dangerous escalation that cannot be treated as mere political rhetoric, warning that impunity encourages the occupation to continue committing further crimes.

He considered that the Area E1 plan and Ben-Gvir’s incitement to killing reflect a single approach based on settlement, displacement, forced transfer, and killing, imposing facts on the ground by force.

Al-Yamahi called on the international community to assume its responsibilities and take concrete measures to halt settlement and annexation activities and hold those inciting the killing of Palestinians accountable, stressing that settlement, annexation, displacement, and killing will not bring security or peace, and that the path to peace begins with ending the occupation and enabling the Palestinian people to exercise their legitimate rights.