US Rebukes ’Israel’s’ Decision to Annex 400 Hectares in WB

Local Editor

"Israel" announced plans on Sunday to expropriate 400 hectares [988 acres], of Palestinian land in the Bethlehem area in the south of the occupied West Bank, the military said.

"On the instructions of the political echelon... 4,000 dunams at [the settlement of] "Gevaot" is declared as "state" land," the army department charged with the so-called "administering civil affairs" in occupied territory said.

It further added that the concerned parties have 45 days to appeal.

The Etzion settlements council welcomed Sunday's announcement, and said it was the prelude to expansion of the current "Gevaot" settlement.

It "paves the way for the new city of Gevaot", a statement said.

Meanwhile, the US rebuked "Israel" Sunday overnight after it announced a land appropriation in the West Bank.
In parallel, it called the move "counterproductive" to efforts to achieve a "two-state solution" between "Israel" and the Palestinians, and urging Tel Aviv to reverse the decision.
"We have long made clear our opposition to continued settlement activity," said a State Department official, who declined to be identified.

The official said: "This announcement, like every other settlement announcement "Israel" makes, planning step they approve and construction tender they issue, is counterproductive to "Israel's" stated goal of a negotiated two-state solution with the Palestinians."

Earlier, the Palestinian Authority condemned the "Israeli" decision, saying in an issued statement that "today's decision clearly represents "Israel's" desire to wipe out the Palestinian presence and impose a one-state solution."

Nabil Abu Rdainah called "Israel" to cancel the appropriation. "This decision will lead to more instability. This will only inflame the situation after the war in Gaza," Abu Rdainah said.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team