Hamas condemns new settlement plan by Israeli occupation in Jerusalem

OCCUPIED PALESTINE, Dec. 19 (YPA) – The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas issued a statement, on Friday, condemning the approval by the Finance Minister of the extremist occupation government, Bezalel Smotrich, of a plan to establish a new settlement city east of occupied Jerusalem, comprising thousands of settlement housing units.

Hamas considered this a dangerous escalation in the settlement and annexation project, and a new crime added to the colonial occupation’s record of violating international law.

The movement affirmed that the plan falls within a systematic policy aimed at Judaizing Jerusalem, isolating it from its Palestinian surroundings, and changing its character and identity, stressing that this constitutes a blatant attack on the rights of the Palestinian people, their land, and their holy sites, and a clear disregard for the will and warnings of the international community.

Hamas also warned that the continued settlement expansion fuels tension and instability in the region, holding the occupation government fully responsible for the repercussions of these colonial steps on the ground.

The movement called on the international community, the United Nations, and its legal and human rights institutions to assume their responsibilities and take urgent action to halt settlement projects and impose deterrent measures against the occupation.

It also called on the Palestinian people to strengthen their resilience and unity in the face of Judaization and displacement plans.