Israel ploughs ahead with 851 new illegal settlement homes

The UN World Court considers all settlements to be completely illegal

ISRAEL is continuing to wantonly jeopardise the peace process with an announcement that it will build 851 new homes for settlers on illegally occupied land in the Palestinian West Bank.

The decision is seen as an attempt by the Israeli government to appease far-right politicians whose Bill aimed at 'legalising' settler dwellings on privately-owned Palestinian land was defeated in the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (pictured above) has also lashed out at left-wing parties who have petitioned the High Court of Justice in a bid to get such outposts dismantled.

Netanyahu said: “There is no government that would support the settler movement more than the one I head, we will continue to strengthen the settlement movement and strengthen democracy.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has slammed the decision, warning that it would damage the peace process.

Dr Hanan Ashrawi of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) added: “Forty-five years after the beginning of occupation, Israel continues to deliberately violate international law through policies that undermine and threaten to annul the prospect of a two-state solution.”

Dr Ashrawi called on the international community to “hold Israel to account” for its “countless breaches of international law”.

There are more than 500,000 Israeli settlers living in outposts in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Israel considers some of these outposts legal and others illegal yet the UN World Court considers all settlements to be completely illegal. Israel claims it is entitled to such territory, claiming Biblical and historical reasons.