On March 12, the Israeli cabinet
approved the construction of 500 new settler homes in Gush Etzion,
Kyriat Sefer, Maale Adumim and Ariel in the occupied West Bank.
Israeli officials stated that the
expansion of settlement construction was done to “send a message”
to Palestinians after five Israelis settlers were stabbed to death in
the settlement of Itamar. This is the largest amount of settlement
construction since the freeze six months ago.
For decades now, Israel has continuously pursued the building of more
settlements in gross violation of international law, even as they
have given lip service to a “peace process.” The Palestinian
masses have witnessed that Israel uses “peace” processes to
portray itself as an honest negotiator while continuing to create a
new reality on the ground—continuing the building of new
settlements and the construction of the Apartheid Wall.
