The Foreign Ministry of Poland (MFA) has denounced Israel’s intentions to confiscate land in the West Bank for the construction of additional housing units. Meanwhile, the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas has announced that it will not release any further hostages until Israel withdraws from the Gaza Strip.
Last week, Israel declared that it would take over around 800 hectares of land in the Jordan Valley in the West Bank to expand Israeli settlements in the area.
This is Israel’s largest land seizure since the Oslo Accords was signed between the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and Israel in 1994.
Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right Israeli finance minister, said: “While there are those in Israel and the world who seek to undermine our rights over Judea and Samaria, and the country in general, we promote settlement through hard work and in a strategic manner all over the country.”
In a statement posted on the social media platform X on Wednesday, the MFA wrote that it “condemns the announcement by the Israeli authorities of the confiscation of 800ha of land in the occupied West Bank, the largest appropriation of land by Israel since the Oslo Accords.”
“This runs counter to international law and also to efforts to deescalate the current situation,” MFA added.
Last month, the U.S. said Israel’s expansion of settlements in the West Bank was “inconsistent” with international law.
In 2016, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution in which it demanded that Israel cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory underlining that any changes must be agreed by the two sides through negotiations.
No release of hostages until Israel withdraws: Hamas
This is Israel’s largest land seizure since the Oslo Accords was signed between the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and Israel in 1994.
Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right Israeli finance minister, said: “While there are those in Israel and the world who seek to undermine our rights over Judea and Samaria, and the country in general, we promote settlement through hard work and in a strategic manner all over the country.”
In a statement posted on the social media platform X on Wednesday, the MFA wrote that it “condemns the announcement by the Israeli authorities of the confiscation of 800ha of land in the occupied West Bank, the largest appropriation of land by Israel since the Oslo Accords.”
“This runs counter to international law and also to efforts to deescalate the current situation,” MFA added.
Earlier, in a statement on Sunday, EU leaders firmly condemned the Israeli government decisions “to further expand illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank” and urged Israel to reverse the decision.🇵🇱 condemns the announcement by the 🇮🇱 authorities of the confiscation of 800ha of land in the occupied West Bank, the largest appropriation of land by 🇮🇱 since the Oslo Accords.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs 🇵🇱 (@PolandMFA) March 27, 2024
This runs counter to international law and also to efforts to deescalate the current situation.
Last month, the U.S. said Israel’s expansion of settlements in the West Bank was “inconsistent” with international law.
In 2016, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution in which it demanded that Israel cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory underlining that any changes must be agreed by the two sides through negotiations.
No release of hostages until Israel withdraws: Hamas
Meanwhile, the former leader of the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas, Khalid Mashal, announced that the Israeli hostages held by Hamas since October 2023 will not be released until Israel withdraws troops from the Gaza Strip, the Times of Israel reported on Wednesday.
The website reported that the other conditions mentioned by Mashal include allowing displaced civilians to return to their homes and ending the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. The former head of Hamas’ political office presented this position during a speech in Jordan.
In mid-March, the American station CNN estimated that Hamas was probably still holding nearly 100 hostages.
The website reported that the other conditions mentioned by Mashal include allowing displaced civilians to return to their homes and ending the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. The former head of Hamas’ political office presented this position during a speech in Jordan.
In mid-March, the American station CNN estimated that Hamas was probably still holding nearly 100 hostages.
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