AMMAN — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday condemned the Israeli occupation authorities’ issuance of tenders for the construction of 1,234 settlement units under the “E1” settlement project east of occupied Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank.

 

In a statement, the ministry described the move as a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law, as well as a clear violation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, end the occupation and establish their independent, sovereign state along pre-1967 borders, with occupied East Jerusalem as its capital.

 

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Fouad Majali reaffirmed the Kingdom’s absolute rejection and condemnation of the settlement project, saying that the Israeli government’s continued settlement plans entrench the occupation, undermine international efforts to achieve a two-state solution and violate international law and relevant UN resolutions.

 

Majali highlighted UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which condemns all Israeli measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem.

 

He also cited the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion, which affirmed the illegality of the Israeli occupation and the unlawfulness of settlement construction and the annexation of West Bank territory.

 

Majali reiterated that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Palestinian territory, warning against the continued expansion of settlements and other illegal measures across the West Bank.

 

He called on the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities by obliging Israel to halt its illegal settlement expansion and respect the Palestinian people’s legitimate right to establish an independent state on their national territory.

 

Israel’s far-right government has issued a tender for the construction of 1,234 settler units in the so-called E1 area in East Jerusalem.

 

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967 and successive Israeli governments have expanded settlements.

 

But they have accelerated significantly under the current coalition government of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

 

Excluding east Jerusalem, more than 500,000 Israelis now live in the West Bank in settlements that are illegal under international law, among some three million Palestinians.