The crisis gripping the occupied West Bank has led many to warn that Israel’s continued violations could soon spark a third Intifada
Senior Israeli officials are calling for the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and for the delivery of more weapons to settlers in the wake of the latest Palestinian resistance operation on 22 February.
“The serious attack on Maale Adumim must have a decisive security response but also an answer from the settlements … I demand the prime minister approve the convening of the higher planning council and immediately approve plans for thousands of housing units in Maale Adumim and the entire region,” anti-Arab Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said via social media.
This came on the heels of a statement by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who said his office will continue to arm extremist settler groups that terrorize Palestinians across the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem.
“We’re distributing more and more guns. I think that today everyone understands that guns save lives … Six months ago, I said that the right to life is more important than the right to free movement for residents of the Palestinian Authority,” the Jewish supremacist told reporters.
“The right to life for Jewish residents in the West Bank is more important than the freedom of movement for residents of the Palestinian Authority.”
“I expect that there will be more and more checkpoints, that there will be restrictions. Our enemies do not look for excuses; our enemies just want to harm us,” he added.
Ben Gvir also echoed claims made several months ago by his coalition partner Smotrich that “there is no such thing as the Palestinian people” and stressed he would increase pressure on the government to ban Palestinian worshippers from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Since the start of Israel’s campaign of genocide against the Gaza Strip nearly five months ago, the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem have witnessed a significant spike in settler pogroms and violent raids by the Israeli army.
SOURCE Â The Cradle
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