Arab Parliament denounces Knesset bill on evacuated settlements

CAIRO, March 23 (KUNA) -- The Arab Parliament condemned the bill passed recently by the Knesset (Israeli parliament) to allow the Jewish settlers to return to four settlement outposts in the occupied Palestinian West Bank.
The Israeli step is a provocative move meant to undermine the de-escalation effort; it is a serious violation of the international humanitarian law and the agreements signed by Israelis and Palestinians, including the recent ones signed in Aqaba, Jordan, and Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, the Arab Parliament said in a press release on Thursday.
The illegitimate Israeli settlements pose a major impediment to the peace efforts and the two-state solution, the statement noted, warning that the persistent, systematic Israeli provocations could fuel a new round of violence in the occupied territories.
The Arab Parliament called on the international community, particularly the United States, to force Israel into backing down on any unilateral moves and halting the recurrent crimes against the Palestinian people. The illegally built outposts of Homesh, Ganim, Kadim and Sa-Nur had been evacuated in 2005. (end) msh.mfm.gb