Israel called on its allies in the United States to put pressure on the American administration to ensure that Washington uses its veto power in the UN Security Council against a draft resolution that the Palestinian Authority seeks to present to condemn Tel Aviv's recent settlement decisions.
The Palestinian leadership began contacting the member states of the Security Council in order to mobilize them to vote against the Israeli government's decisions to build thousands of settlement housing units within the framework of the project to fatten the existing settlements, and to grant Israeli legitimacy to outposts established by settlers in various parts of the West Bank.
According to what was reported by the website of the Israeli "Walla" news agency, citing senior Israeli and American officials, Israel's representative to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, and senior Israeli Foreign Ministry officials have intensified their contacts with the US administration to ensure that it uses its veto power to torpedo the draft resolution.
The site quoted officials as saying that Tel Aviv fears that the Palestinian Authority may succeed in mobilizing the support of 9 member states of the Security Council to vote in favor of the condemnation resolution.
international opposition
The foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, Britain and the United States have expressed their deep concern about Israel's announcement of building 10,000 new settlement units, and its intention to start legalizing 9 settlement outposts in the West Bank.
In a joint statement, the ministers considered that these unilateral Israeli steps would increase tensions between Israel and the Palestinians.
They renewed their adherence to a comprehensive, just and lasting solution in the Middle East, to be reached through direct negotiations between the concerned parties, and to guarantee the rights of both parties to live in peace and enjoy the same measure of freedom, security and development.
The ministers also renewed their readiness to assist Israel in what they described as its integration into the Middle East alongside an independent Palestinian state enjoying the basics of life.
In a separate statement, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken expressed his country's deep annoyance at Israel's decision, and said in a statement, "We strongly oppose these unilateral measures, as do all previous US administrations, whether Republican or Democratic, because they exacerbate tensions and undermine prospects for a negotiated two-state solution." on him".
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also expressed his deep concern about the Israeli decision, and Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, said that implementing these measures would undermine prospects for achieving a two-state solution and constitute an obstacle to peace.
Ben Gvir requested the legalization of 9 settlements in the occupied West Bank (Reuters)
settlement legislation
The Israeli cabinet announced last Sunday that it had taken a decision to legalize 9 settlements in the occupied West Bank out of 77, at the request of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, according to informed sources of Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.
And Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Tuesday that the Israeli government will remove all restrictions on settlement construction in the West Bank.
Under international law, all Israeli settlements in occupied territory are illegal, and the United Nations has said their expansion violates human rights law.