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Israel expanding settlements due to US unequivocal support: Analyst

Thursday, 27 December 2018 9:06 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 27 December 2018 11:10 AM ]

This picture taken on November 17, 2018 from East Jerusalem shows a view of the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim (C) with the Judaean desert seen in the background. (Photo by AFP)

Israel is expanding its illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories despite condemnation from the international community because the regime is emboldened by Washington's "unequivocal support," says a political analyst.

The comments came after Israeli authorities approved plans for about 2,200 settlement homes in the occupied West Bank.

“In terms of stopping them from the international community, there seems to be nothing. It is pretty united when it comes to most countries in the world that they condemn the settlements, even the United States has been on record multiple times condemning the settlements but there is never any solid action taken against them and without action they are not going to capitulate to the norms of international law, they are not going to listen,” Robert Inlakesh told Press TV in an interview on Thursday.

“So unless there are any repercussions for their actions, if there is anything they are going to suffer, they are never going to suffer, then they are never going to do anything because they know well either way nothing is going to happen … So I don’t see anything coming along to stop them unless perhaps there are a lot of Palestinian attacks and resistance,” he added.

About 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 illegal settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds.

Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital.

The last round of Israeli-Palestinian talks collapsed in 2014. Among the major sticking points in those negotiations was Israel’s continued settlement expansion on Palestinian territories.

Less than a month before US President Donald Trump took office, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2334, calling on Israel to “immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem” al-Quds.