Palestinian Official Warns Israeli Actions in West Bank Threaten Two-State Solution
Palestinian Vice President Hussein Sheikh warned on Sunday about the serious implications of imminent Israeli decisions aimed at deepening annexation and establishing new realities in the West Bank. He stated that these actions would completely undermine all signed agreements between the parties.
Sheikh indicated that discussions regarding Israeli decisions affecting Area A, which is under Palestinian civil and security administration, represent a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of international law. He cautioned that these unilateral measures undermine any political horizon and directly threaten the viability of a two-state solution.
He further claimed that Israel's policies are dragging the region towards increased tension and instability, urging the U.S. administration and the international community to intervene immediately and decisively to halt what he termed “occupational aggression.”
Sheikh's remarks come as the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the Israeli government made new decisions on Sunday that would facilitate land purchases by settlers in the West Bank and expand settlements, granting Israel authority to take direct action in Area A.
Israeli estimates and reports suggest these decisions will remove obstacles to a significant expansion of Israeli presence in the West Bank, undermining the 1997 agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
These developments are particularly significant as they occur ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's expected visit to Washington on Wednesday, where he is set to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump. Reports from Axios indicate that Trump and his senior advisors have urged Netanyahu to reconsider his policies in the West Bank.
In this context, Palestinian and international concerns are rising that these new Israeli steps could ignite tensions on the ground and permanently close the door to any future political solutions.
