The Palestinian Authority has accused Israel of implementing creepy annexation of the West Bank through a series of measures, mainly turning Areas from “B” into “C”.
This is the first time since 1993 that Israel cuts off land from Area B and turns it into Area C.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said the Israeli occupation's move is an actual annexation of the West Bank.
“The occupation is unilaterally resolving the future of final status negotiations by force, turning the Palestinian cause and the legitimate and just rights of our people from a political issue into a problem of a population that is in need of relief programs and economic projects,” the Ministry stated.
It said all this is recognized by the occupation leaders in their continued talks about limited autonomy.
The Ministry condemned the Israeli occupation’s seizure of Palestinian land in the village of Qaryout and the southwestern area of Nablus in particular.
It warned in a press statement of a new settlement plan to seize more than 700 dunums of Qaryout village land to expand the illegal settlement of Eli.
“We have always warned of the seriousness of the colonial settlement plan targeting the southwestern area of Nablus.”
“This plan aims at establishing a huge settlement bloc that will be linked to the settlement bloc in Salfit governorate, connected with the settlement blocs in Qalqilya governorate and extends into Israel,” it said.
The Ministry described this step as “the biggest land heist and annexation of large parts from the occupied West Bank.”
The 1993 Palestinian-Israeli Oslo agreement divided West Bank land into three areas. Area “A” is under full Palestinian rule, Area “B” is administered by the Palestinians but the security remained in Israel’s hands and Area “C”, which is under full Israeli control and makes up more than 60 percent of the West Bank area.
There are settlements, large areas of lands and roads for settlers in Area C that lead to Jerusalem, which is isolated from the rest of the occupied West Bank.
The Foreign Ministry also slammed the international community for only issuing condemnation statements rather than taking action to put an end for Israel’s expansionist colonial occupation plans.
“The international community and the United Nations’ abandonment of their political and legal responsibilities make the world order lose what remains of its credibility,” it said.