US calls expansion of settlements on Jordan River worrisome | Israel Palestine

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government approved the measures on Sunday. The number of approval steps will be significantly reduced to speed up settlement construction in the West Bank. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the decision as “dangerous” and called on the international community to pressure Israel to reverse the decision.

“The United States opposes unilateral actions that complicate a two-state solution and disrupt peace,” the US State Department said. Israel’s policy of building settlements in the occupied territory has long been criticized internationally and has led to previous clashes with armed Palestinian groups.

In late May, the United States expressed “deep concern” about an Israeli government decree allowing Jewish settlers to settle permanently in the Homesh settlement.

At a meeting in Egypt in March, Israelis and Palestinians agreed to suspend “unilateral actions” for three to six months. At the time, according to Egypt’s foreign ministry, Israel promised not to approve any new projects for six months.