The U.S. State Department has objected to Israeli government plans to build thousands of housing units in the occupied West Bank, adding that such unilateral actions obstruct peace with Palestinians.
“The United States is deeply troubled by the Israeli government’s reported decision to advance planning for over 4,000 settlement units in the West Bank,” said a statement released by Matthew Miller, department spokesman.
“We are similarly concerned by reports of changes to Israel’s system of settlement administration that expedite the planning and approvals of settlements,” the statement said.
“As has been longstanding policy, the United States opposes such unilateral actions that make a two-state solution more difficult to achieve and are an obstacle to peace.
“We call on the Government of Israel to fulfill the commitments it made in Aqaba, Jordan and Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt and return to dialogue aimed at de-escalation.”
Israel on Sunday outlined the proposal for the housing units throughout the West Bank to be approved before next week’s Supreme Planning Council meeting. Around 1,300 units are awaiting final authorization, while the remainder are still subject to a preliminary clearance process.
Jewish settler groups welcomed the government’s announcement, reported Reuters.
“The people have chosen to continue building in Judea and Samaria and the Jordan Valley, and that is the way it should be,” said Shlomo Ne’eman, mayor of the Gush Etzion Regional Council, using Israel’s biblical names for the West Bank.
But settlements have been deemed highly controversial by some countries, with many viewing them as illegal settlements, the wire agency reported.
The settlements are seen as a driving factor in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Peace talks between the two opposing sides have stalled since 2014.
Israel’s newly re-elected prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already sanctioned more than 7,000 new housing units—most in the West Bank—since resuming power in January.
The Palestinian Authority, which operates on a semi-autonomous basis in the area, responded by saying it would boycott a meeting of the joint economic committee with Israel scheduled for later this month. It called on the international community to pressure Israel to end what it refers to as “illegal unilateral measures,” according to National News.
Israel’s plans have also been condemned by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, which has ruled the Gaza region for over 15 years, stating attempts to proceed with the new settlements will be resisted by any means necessary.