RAMALLAH, Feb 8 (KUNA) -- The Palestinian Presidency strongly denounced the Israeli security cabinet decisions to legalize settlement activities, seizing and demolishing of Palestinian lands and property in a new move aiming to deepen annexation of the occupied West Bank.
In a press statement, the Presidency considered the Israeli occupation decisions a continuation of its comprehensive war against Palestinians, and an unprecedented escalation targeting the Palestinian presence and its national and historical rights throughout the Palestinian territory.
The Presidency warned of the grave implications of these decisions, which represent the practical implementation of annexation and displacement plans.
These decisions also violate all agreements signed between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel, as well as international law and resolutions of international legitimacy, and constitute a blatant violation of the Oslo Accords and the Hebron Agreement, it stressed.
The Presidency said the decisions reflect an open Israeli attempt to legalize settlement expansion, land confiscation, and the demolition of Palestinian properties, even in areas under Palestinian sovereignty.
It also warned of the dangers of any infringement upon Islamic and Christian holy sites, emphasizing that any violation of the Ibrahimi Mosque and the transfer of authority over it are unacceptable.
The Presidency held the occupying power fully responsible for the continued attacks on holy sites, aimed at igniting tensions, particularly with the approach of the holy month of Ramadan.
It affirmed that these illegitimate and illegal decisions are null and void, granting no legitimacy and carry no legal consequences. It reiterated that international laws reject settlement activity, annexation attempts, and the displacement of Palestinians under any pretext.
It called upon the international community, particularly the Security Council and the US administration, to intervene immediately and take decisive action to halt these dangerous Israeli decisions, which threaten all international efforts to de-escalate tensions and prevent further escalation in the region.
The Palestinian Presidency concluded by affirming that the Palestinian people and their legitimate leadership, represented by the Palestine Liberation Organization, will continue their struggle in defending their land and rights, and will not allow these plans to pass, and that the State of Palestine will be established as a free, independent, and fully sovereign state in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including the occupied East Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the State of Palestine.
Earlier, the Israeli cabinet approved decisions set to bring about far-reaching changes to land administration and registration in the occupied West Bank, deepening the annexation plan and enabling the demolition of Palestinian-owned buildings in Area A.
The decisions, promoted by Defense Minister Yisrael Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, aim for a significant expansion of settlements, making their reversal fraught with legal complications.
One of the decisions involves removing the secrecy surrounding the West Bank land registry, making it public and allowing access to the names of Palestinian landowners and enabling direct contact with them to purchase their land.
The decisions approved by the cabinet contradict the 1997 Hebron Agreement. Reports indicate that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government is seeking to advance the annexation of the occupied West Bank ahead of the upcoming Israeli elections scheduled for October.
Another decision includes legislation to revoke the ban on selling land in the West Bank to non-Arabs and to eliminate the requirement for official approval of real estate transactions.
The changes would allow colonists to purchase land personally, not just through companies, removing existing bureaucratic restrictions and enabling freer land acquisition.
Authority over building permits in the city of Hebron, including the Ibrahimi Mosque, will be transferred from the Hebron Municipality to the Israeli army's Civil Administration, which is under the responsibility of Smotrich.
This decision is expected to facilitate the expansion of the settlement bloc in Hebron and render the Hebron Agreement meaningless.
The settlement bloc in Hebron will be transformed into an independent local authority.
A similar step will apply to the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque in Bethlehem, which will be separated from the Bethlehem Municipality by establishing a "Local Authority Directorate," effectively annexing the area to Israel.
The cabinet also approved imposing control and enforcement on buildings without building permits in areas "A" and "B" under the pretext that they affect heritage and archaeological sites, which means that the occupation will be able to seize Palestinian lands and demolish buildings. (end) nq.ibi