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Palestinian PM Calls on US Administration to Curb Israeli Settlement Expansion

Israeli security forces surround activists protesting settlements in Sheikh Jarrah in Jerusalem. (AFP)
Israeli security forces surround activists protesting settlements in Sheikh Jarrah in Jerusalem. (AFP)
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Palestinian PM Calls on US Administration to Curb Israeli Settlement Expansion

Israeli security forces surround activists protesting settlements in Sheikh Jarrah in Jerusalem. (AFP)
Israeli security forces surround activists protesting settlements in Sheikh Jarrah in Jerusalem. (AFP)

Palestinian Prime Minister Shtayyeh called on the US administration to act quickly and forcefully to curb the Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, including Jerusalem.

Speaking at a weekly cabinet meeting, Shtayyeh warned that the “colonial settlement expansion in the occupied territories” is very dangerous and will undermine international efforts to establish the Palestinian state according to the June 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital.

He also condemned the ongoing Israeli violations of the sanctity of al-Aqsa Mosque, and the daily attacks by police on worshipers in Jerusalem, noting that the raids are part of a larger plan that aims to divide the Muslim holy place.

Last year, Israel pushed plans to build 12,159 settlement units, a record number according to the Israeli B'Tselem organization.

Israeli MP of the Zionist party, Orit Struck, presented on Sunday a draft law to legitimize settlement outposts in the West Bank. The law was approved in the first reading before the dissolution of the 23rd Knesset (parliament).

There are about 130 settlement outposts in the West Bank, inhabited by about 25,000 settlers, most of whom are extremists.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the bill, saying it is a serious test for the administration of US President Joe Biden.

It explained that legitimizing outposts aims to convert them into settlements at the expense of Palestinian land, which means stealing more territories, whether to build new settlement units or pave roads connecting them with nearby settlements.

The Ministry warned that these outposts are used to launch the activities of the so-called “hilltop youth”, which continues to terrorize Palestinians and attack their lands and properties.

Introducing this bill again at this particular time stems from the Israeli right-wing’s belief that they have the opportunity to pass it and implement it in light of the majority they won in the recent elections, according to the Ministry.

It warned that passing this law would be a dangerous escalation in settlement activities and operations.

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US Says Shares Israel’s Concerns about Syria

Debris is scattered at the site of an Israeli strike on a military airbase near Hama, Syria, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP)
Debris is scattered at the site of an Israeli strike on a military airbase near Hama, Syria, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP)
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US Says Shares Israel’s Concerns about Syria

Debris is scattered at the site of an Israeli strike on a military airbase near Hama, Syria, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP)
Debris is scattered at the site of an Israeli strike on a military airbase near Hama, Syria, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP)

US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea said on Thursday that Washington shares Israel’s concerns about the situation in Syria.

During a briefing to the UN Security Council on Syria, she stressed that the US and Israel are worried about “Syria becoming a base for terrorism, and both our countries have been clear that we oppose malign actors using Syria as a platform to foment instability.”

“As Council members, we should all agree that a stable and sovereign Syria is critical for our collective security. President Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu earlier this week, and they had a constructive discussion on the importance of regional peace, security, and stability,” she noted.

“We know that ISIS and al-Qaeda continue to plot and conduct attacks within Syria. And we know Hezbollah and other Iran-backed terrorists are trying to regain a foothold in Syria to threaten Israel and other regional states.”

“In this context, Israel has an inherent right of self-defense, including against terrorist groups operating close to its border,” she stressed.

“We welcome the Syrian Permanent Representative’s March 3 letter to the Council stating that Syria will not be a haven for terrorism, nor will it be a part of any axes or polarization or become involved in any conflicts or wars that threaten the security and stability of the region. This is a positive message of intent by the interim authorities,” she added.

“We will judge the Syrian interim authorities not by their words but by their actions. The United States continues to support efforts that will bring lasting stability between Israel and Syria, and we hope to see a restoration of calm so Syrians can live in peace with their neighbors,” Shea said.

She also welcomed recent statements by both Israel and Türkiye that they do not seek conflict with one another in Syria.

At the same briefing, UN Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East and Asia Pacific Khaled Khiari condemned Israel’s violations of the Disengagement of Forces Agreement with Syria, warning that they “threaten Syria’s fragile political transition”.

He said: “The council’s commitment to Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity grows in importance by the day.”

“Syria’s opportunity to stabilize after 14 years of conflict must be supported and protected, for Syrians and for Israelis. This is the only way regional peace and security can be realized,” he urged.

“Since the fall of the former Assad government on December 8, 2024, this Security Council has been regularly briefed on Israeli violations of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement between Israel and Syria. The Secretary-General has been clear in his condemnation of all actions that are inconsistent with the Agreement,” he remarked.

“There have been hundreds of reported Israeli airstrikes across Syria since December 8 of last year, in the southwest, the Syrian coast, northeastern Syria, Damascus, Hama, and Homs. The Israeli army has publicly confirmed it has built multiple positions in the area of separation on the Golan,” he added.

“Israeli officials have also spoken about Israel’s intentions to stay in Syria ‘for the foreseeable future’. Such facts on the ground are not easily reversed. They do threaten Syria’s fragile political transition, Khiari warned.

“Syria is at a crossroads and deserves a chance to continue to work towards an inclusive political transition, where the Syrian people can overcome the conflict, revive their economy, realize their legitimate aspirations, and contribute to regional stability,” he stressed.

“Furthermore, short-term and tactical security actions and gains should not derail prospects for peace agreement between the two neighbors and long-term stability at their internationally recognized border,” he said.