Israeli human rights organization Peace Now reported that seven “illegal” settlement outposts have been established over the past six months in an area under Palestinian civilian control in the occupied West Bank.
The organization, which is interested in monitoring settlement activities, said yesterday Sunday on its website that “although Area B is under the civilian control of the Palestinian Authority, 7 illegal settlement outposts have been established in this area in the West Bank.
She explained that 5 of these settlements are located in a large area east and southeast of the city of Bethlehem, in Area B, in which the Palestinian Authority is prohibited from building.
The human rights organization said one of the settlement’s two other outposts was established east of the settlement of Ofra in the central West Bank, on land belonging to the Palestinian village. from Ein Yabrud.
As for the other outpost, it is located to the north, near the settlement “Shilo”, south of the illegal outpost “Adei Ad”, built on land belonging to the Palestinian village of Turmus Ayya.
The Israeli organization explained that the construction of these settlement outposts constitutes a precedent since the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993.
She noted that some Palestinians were displaced from these areas for fear of attacks by settlers who then took over their homes.
Peace Now said the seven settlement outposts were established over a period of two to six months.
The Oslo Accords were concluded between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel and provide for mutual recognition and a declaration of peace principles.
The United Nations considers Israeli settlements illegal and calls in vain for their cessation, warning that they undermine the chances of resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in accordance with the principle of a two-state solution.
The number of settlers in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, stands at more than 750,000 settlers living in more than 170 settlements, in addition to hundreds of settlement outposts.
Settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories have seen a notable increase since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to power in December 2022.