Arya News - A joint statement by 12 Western countries condemning Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank was spurred by next month`s general election in Israel, Palestinian Deputy Foreign Minister Omar Awadallah told Sputnik.
"The timing of the statement by the 12 countries is very important. Israel is now facing elections, and no one knows how far the current government may go," Awadallah said. The Israeli government is actively advancing settlement construction in Palestinian lands that would effectively divide the West Bank into two parts, the Palestinian official added, calling it an attempt to hinder the creation of a "geographically contiguous Palestinian state." Awadallah said that the Western condemnation is intended to prevent Israel from advancing settlement construction in Palestinian territories ahead of the October 27 election. On Tuesday, UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced a ban on trade with Jewish settlers in the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that France and 11 other countries intended to impose a ban on trade with Israeli settlements. In September 2025, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the construction of thousands of housing units in the Mevaseret Adumim area (E1), which will link the Israeli town of Maale Adumim with East Jerusalem, thereby splitting the occupied West Bank in half. On August 18, Israel opened tenders for the project.
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A joint statement by 12 Western countries condemning Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank was spurred by next month"s general election in Israel, Palestinian Deputy Foreign Minister Omar Awadallah told Sputnik.
"The timing of the statement by the 12 countries is very important. Israel is now facing elections, and no one knows how far the current government may go," Awadallah said.
The Israeli government is actively advancing settlement construction in Palestinian lands that would effectively divide the West Bank into two parts, the Palestinian official added, calling it an attempt to hinder the creation of a "geographically contiguous Palestinian state."
Awadallah said that the Western condemnation is intended to prevent Israel from advancing settlement construction in Palestinian territories ahead of the October 27 election.
On Tuesday, UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced a ban on trade with Jewish settlers in the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that France and 11 other countries intended to impose a ban on trade with Israeli settlements.
In September 2025, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the construction of thousands of housing units in the Mevaseret Adumim area (E1), which will link the Israeli town of Maale Adumim with East Jerusalem, thereby splitting the occupied West Bank in half. On August 18, Israel opened tenders for the project.
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