Malaysia condemns Israeli illegal settlement in occupied Palestinian territory

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has unreservedly condemned and rejected the recent decision by the Israeli regime to legalise nine outposts and illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory of the West Bank.

The Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) in a statement Friday said such decisions and the existence of illegal settlements as well as their expansion clearly violated international law and humanitarian law.

These include the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War and many United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, in particular Resolution 2334 (2016).

"The UNSC has the primary responsibility for ensuring respect for an adherence to its resolutions," the statement read.

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is an internationally-recognised Palestinian territory, it said, adding that the expansion of Israeli illegal settlements means more and more Palestinian lands are being confiscated illegally.

"Legalising those settlements is a clear attempt to make the Israeli occupation permanent," it said.

Wisma Putra said the international community must never allow this, and the UNSC must demand the Israeli regime to rescind its decision and dismantle its illegal settlements activities.

On Sunday, the Israeli government announced its decision to retrospectively authorise nine West Bank settlements and build 10,000 new homes on occupied Palestinian land.

In response, five of Israel's key allies -- the United States, Germany, France, Italy and the UK -- issued a joint statement condemning the settlement activity, according to media reports.

-- BERNAMA