“We strongly oppose settlement activity, which is corrosive to the cause of peace”, State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement released Wednesday evening.
Advertisement
“We are witnessing a signal from the Americans to Netanyahu that they do not like what they see”, said Hagit Ofran, director of settlement watch for the left-wing Israeli human rights organization Peace Now. He also noted a plan to legalize an outpost near Ramallah; and tenders for 42 units in Kiryat Arba.
Israeli authorities did not make any comment. The above-named parties plus Russian Federation comprise the Quartet, the worldwide entity overseeing the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
“I remain increasingly concerned by the near-daily advancement of the illegal settlement enterprise in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem”, he said in an email.
The six settlements in question are Ma’aleh Adumim, Ariel, Givat Ze’ev, Oranit, the Jordan Valley, the South Hebron Hills and Kiryat Arba, and is not the first time similar efforts have been made to ban Israel from worldwide football.
The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas which controls the Gaza Strip said last month that it will participate in local elections set for October, after boycotting the last round four years ago.
“The Israeli authorities have recently advanced plans for the construction of (Israeli) settlements in the West Bank: 770 new homes in Gilo settlement and another 323 dwellings in various neighborhoods in East Jerusalem”.
PFA chief Jibril Rajoub said earlier that the second leg of the Palestine Cup finals, initially slated for last Saturday, would be postponed by 48 hours due to Israeli restrictions on the Gazan footballers’ movement.
Advertisement
The current wave of protests by Palestinians and repression by Israeli occupation forces started in late July when toddler Ali Dawabsha was burned to death and three other Palestinians were severely injured after their house in the occupied West Bank was set on fire by Israeli settlers.
