US official describes as "counterproductive"
Israeli announcement to appropriate land,
said to be largest in 30 years.
The United States has urged Israel to
reverse its decision to seize nearly 400
hectares of land in the occupied West Bank,
a move anti-settlement activists termed the
largest land grab in 30 years.
Israel announced the massive land
appropriation on Sunday in the Etzion
settlement bloc near Bethlehem just days
after Gaza ceasefire.
A Palestinian official said the latest land
grab by Israel would cause only more
friction after the Gaza war that left more
than 2,000 Palestinians dead and over
10,000 injured.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas,
called on Israel to cancel the appropriation.
"This decision will lead to more instability.
This will only inflame the situation after the
war in Gaza," presidential spokesman Abu
Rdainah said.
A US State Department official called the
announcement as "counterproductive to
Israel's stated goal of a negotiated two-state
solution with the Palestinians".
"We urge the government of Israel to
reverse this decision," the official said in
Washington.
Peace Now group, which opposes Israeli
settlement activities in the West Bank,
territory the Palestinians seek for a state,
said the appropriation was meant to turn a
site where 10 families now live adjacent to a
Jewish seminary into a permanent
settlement.
International criticism
Construction of a major settlement at the
location, known as "Gevaot", has been
mooted by Israel since 2000. Last year, the
government invited bids for the building of
1,000 housing units at the site.
Peace Now said the land seizure was the
largest announced by Israel in the West
Bank since the 1980s and that anyone with
ownership claims had 45 days to appeal. A
local Palestinian mayor said Palestinians
owned the tracts and harvested olive trees
on them.
Israel has come under international
criticism over its settlement activities, which
most countries regard as illegal under
international law and a major obstacle to
the creation of a viable Palestinian state in
any future peace deal.
Israel has said construction at Gevaot would
not constitute the establishment of a new
settlement because the site is officially
designated a neighbourhood of an existing
one, Alon Shvut, several kilometres down
the road.
About 500,000 Israelis live among 2.4
million Palestinians in the West Bank and
East Jerusalem, territory that Israel
captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

The international community has to come to grips with it, Israel has been on an expansionist programme since 1967 and would keep on it till the end of time. Haters in the middle east and beyond can whince all they want, it aint gonna change a thing. Anyone who dares should throw the first bomb, you go knw say A/C no be fan.

To me if the said 400 hectars is free of any settlement as I watched in cnn lastnite then israel should annex it.
Afterall In every war fought and won there must be spoils and POWs.
Na my opinion o!! A funny one sha!!!

ZKOSOSO: To me if the said 400 hectars is free of any settlement as I watched in cnn lastnite then israel should annex it.
Afterall In every war fought and won there must be spoils and POWs.
Na my opinion o!! A funny one sha!!!

ignoramus

This Idiotiic OP,where is ur source?...Terrorists Muslims only knows how to spread propaganda.....

Israel, grabbing other people's land since the time of the bible

CyberWolf: This Idiotiic OP,where is ur source?...Terrorists Muslims only knows how to spread propaganda.....

WaW. I have paid my dues as a patriot have u. I guess u don't know the reason for cont violence in the region.

Ibnsultan01: WaW. I have paid my dues as a patriot have u. I guess u don't know the reason for cont violence in the region.

where is your source

Israel should annexe Palestine totally, after all Jordan is occupying nearly half of they land with out single complain from them....bunch of terrorists

The land was given to Israel by God. Push the terrorists further into the desert.

and some still support the Jewish state