Dr. Saeb Erekat on Latest Israeli Settlement Announcement

We strongly condemn Israel’s latest announcement to expand its illegal settlements in and around Occupied East Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Palestine. This announcement amounts to evidence of an intent to further commit crimes defined by and punishable under international law.

This settlement expansion coincides with proposed Israeli legislation to change the status quo over the al-Aqsa compound and the seizure of 35 Palestinian homes in Silwan by state-supported extremist settlers. The announcement by Israel’s housing minister, Uri Ariel, who is already a settler, of his intent to occupy a seized Palestinian home in Silwan is just another shocking reminder of Israel’s accelerating efforts to forcibly displace Palestinians from Jerusalem and turn the Holy City of three faiths into an exclusive Jewish city.

The international community must take decisive action in order to save the two-state solution from the colonial expansionism of the State of Israel, including by recognizing the State of Palestine on the 1967 border, by supporting our Security Council efforts to put a deadline to end the Israeli occupation, by banning all settlement products and by divesting from all organizations and companies linked directly or indirectly to the Israeli occupation, colonization and Apartheid policies.