Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared on Friday that Israel would build a “Jewish Israeli state” in the occupied West Bank, a day after the government unveiled plans for 22 new settlements.
“This is our answer to the terrorist groups trying to weaken us,” Katz said in a statement from his office. “It’s also a message to President Macron and his allies: they can recognise a Palestinian state on paper, but we’ll build the Jewish Israeli state here, on the ground.”
The announcement of new settlements has drawn condemnation from both Britain and Jordan, with London calling the move a “deliberate obstacle” to Palestinian statehood.
The United Nations considers Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank illegal under international law and a major hurdle to any lasting peace.