Israeli Occupation Land-Grab Government Approves a New Illegal Settlement on Palestinian Lands, in the Jordan Valley

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Israel Approves New Settlement in the Jordan Valley PA denounces the Israeli decision, Peace Now says "It’s scandal"

The Israel occupation government announced plans on Tuesday to construct a new illegal Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank for the first time in 10 years.

The new approved illegal settlement will be constructed in the northern Jordan Valley, where it will house more than 30 families originally evacuated from the illegal Gush Katif settlement bloc in Gaza Strip, following the Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territory last year.

The construction of the new illegal settlement has been approved by the Israeli occupation land-grab minister Amir Peretz (inaccurately dubbed as defense minister), leader of the Labor Party.

Dr. Saeb Erekat, Head of PLO Negotiation Affairs Dept said the announcement ran counter to understandings Mr. Olmert and Mr. Abbas reached at their meeting Saturday night.

“We condemn this act and this decision, especially as it comes after the Israeli side committed itself to stop all unilateral actions,” the aide, Saeb Erekat, told Agence France-Presse.

“This is certain to destroy the atmosphere created after the meeting with Olmert, where they committed to many issues, especially to stop unilateral actions”, Erekat added.

A spokesman for the National Committee to Defend the Valley condemned the Israeli decision saying "Israel works on creating new status quo in the region".

"The new proposed settlement is an integral part of an Israeli strategy to take control of the whole Jordan Valley, while evacuating it from its original Palestinian residents", Nidal Foqaha told news agencies.

A spokeswoman for the American consulate in Jerusalem, which deals with the West Bank, said a new settlement would be troubling.

“We’re looking into it, and if turns out to be a new settlement, we would be very concerned, given Israel’s obligations under the road map”, said Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm.

Yariv Oppenheimer, director of Peace Now, criticized the decision on new construction as contrary to the government’s stated aims and programs and noted that it had not been approved by Parliament. “This is a veritable scandal, all the more so that this decision was taken by Amir Peretz, himself a former advocate with Peace Now", Mr. Oppenheimer said. What may begin with 30 houses could easily become more because of “thickening,” Peace Now said.

Israeli media describe killing civilians as terrorism. However, when Israeli occupation soldiers kill Palestinian civilians, they do not describe the Israeli killers of civilians as terrorists. It's time for Israeli terrorist acts to be described as terrorism.

Israeli occupation forces use the term "arrest" for "kidnapping" Palestinians from their homes. Objective media worldwide should not fall to the Israeli trap. This is kidnapping.

The Israeli occupation of Palestine is illegal under international law. The Israeli occupation government and its occupation forces have no jurisdiction over Palestinians. Only legitimate governments can arrest citizens. It follows that the correct term is "kidnapping" Palestinians, not "arresting" them by Israeli occupation forces.