(VOVworld) – The Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah on Monday condemned Israel’s plan to appropriate Palestinian land to establish a new settlement on the West Bank.

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah at a press conference on August 15 (Photo: VNA)

Israel is seeking ways to grab Palestinian land next to the illegal settlement of Efrat to build a settler-only road, which connects Efrat to a planned new settlement called Givat Eitam. According to the Israeli Ministry of Construction and Housing, the new settlement will be located east of the security wall with more than 2.500 units. The construction of the planned settlement will completely encircle Bethlehem and render any development of the city impossible. Prime Minister Hamdallah said Israel’s move to build a new illegal settlement and bypass road next to Bethlehem is another step into cutting the West Bank in two, and annexing Area C, adding that Israeli authorities are trying to destroy the historic character of Bethlehem.

Israeli settlements control more than 42% of the land in the West Bank through regional councils. In 2009, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu committed to not building any new settlements after harsh criticism from the international community. However, this promise has not stopped his government from continuously appropriating private Palestinian land and approving plans for new settlements.