The governments of Portugal, Slovenia and Jordan warned this Saturday of the increase in violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip, which, they warned, makes peace and a two-state solution difficult.
“In addition to the situation in Gaza, we are also very concerned about what is happening in the West Bank,” said this Saturday, in Amman, the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho, at the end of a meeting with his Jordanian counterpart. Ayman Safadi, together with his Slovenian colleague, Tanja Fajon.
“Over the years there has been a permanent encroachment of illegal settlements in the West Bank, which we condemn, but we have seen, this year, an increase in illegal settlements and violence, and even more since October 7,” he commented the Portuguese ruler, alluding to the attack by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on Israeli territory.
Gomes Cravinho warned that “this process is degrading the possibility of a peaceful two-state solution,” and called for “the immediate cessation of illegal settler activity in the West Bank.”
The host of the meeting presented data: normally there were three daily attacks by settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, but since the beginning of the conflict between Hamas and Israel that number has doubled.
This is “the bloodiest year for the Palestinians” in that region, commented Ayman Safadi.
The Jordanian minister warned that the increase in violence in the West Bank “will lead the region to an explosive situation”, condemning the increase in settlements and attacks by settlers and the confiscation of land, which, he considered, “hinder the efforts of peace”.
“Israel’s position is to end all Palestinian ambitions to possess their land,” he criticized.
The Slovenian minister also said she was concerned about “the developments in the West Bank by Israeli settlers.”
“We must not face another major conflict. We must strive to [atual] ceasefire be permanent and develop a realistic peace plan,” requested Tanja Fajon.
Source: TSF
