Hamas on Monday condemned the opening of a new Israeli settlement east of Bethlehem, describing the move as a dangerous escalation in Israel’s colonial settlement policy in the occupied West Bank.
In a statement, Hamas leader Mahmoud Mardawi said the establishment of the settlement, reportedly led by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, reflects the Israeli government’s continued efforts to impose facts on the ground by force, in defiance of international warnings and resolutions.
Mardawi stated that the creation of new settlements on Palestinian land is part of a systematic plan aimed at encircling West Bank governorates and entrenching projects of annexation and forced displacement against the Palestinian people.
He stressed that settlement expansion would not alter the Palestinian identity of the land or grant legitimacy to Israeli occupation policies. Instead, he said, such measures would fuel popular anger and strengthen Palestinians’ attachment to their land and national rights.
The Hamas leader called on Palestinians to mobilise and unite in the broadest possible framework to confront settlement expansion and reinforce resilience in areas targeted by Israeli measures. He also urged international and human rights organisations to assume their responsibilities by holding Israeli leaders accountable for what he described as ongoing settlement crimes.
READ: Israeli forces demolish commercial structure near Bethlehem