Amman, July 1 (Petra) - Secretary-General of the Royal Commission for Jerusalem Affairs (RCJA), Abdullah Kanaan, Wednesday said illegal Israeli settlement expansion is a "deliberate colonial policy designed to displace Palestinians and derail peace efforts." Kanaan, in remarks to "Petra," noted rhetoric from Israel's right-wing government signals a "clear' intent to expand settlements and undermine the two-state solution.

He referred to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s remarks after approval of the E1 settlement plan last year, which Smotrich openly boasted would "effectively erase the illusion of a two-state solution." The pace of settlement expansion surged "dramatically," according to Kanaan, with the current Israeli government authorizing or legalizing roughly 103 settlements in the West Bank, almost matching the 127 built from 1967 up until this administration took power.

Citing Palestinian monitors, Kanaan said the total number of settlements and outposts has reached 542, which encircle Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque and isolate and threatenPalestinian communities with displacement.

Continuing: "This rapid acceleration of settlement expansion is a deliberate reflection of official Israeli policy. This expansion persists despite intensifying international condemnation and clear violations of international law, most notably UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which explicitly demands an immediate halt to all settlement activity." Kanaan stated Jordan's position, which calls for ending the Israeli occupation and freezing settlements, is "vital" for peace and the creation of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

In a related context, he also stressed Jordan’s ongoing commitment, under the Hashemite Custodianship of Jerusalem's holy sites, to support Palestinians and pursue international diplomacy to ensure regional stability.

//Petra// HA