New Israeli Settlements in West Bank

The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, has recently ordered the construction of at least 800 new settler homes in the Tal Menashe settlement in the occupied West Bank. This was announced by the Prime Minister a few days before US President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony.

Highlights

• Netanyahu’s government has been working on the policy of expanding its occupation in the West bank.
• However, Palestinians have called this move as illegal.
• AT the international level also, the construction of the Israeli settlements is being called in violation of the international law.
• Media reports that, some 450,000 Jewish settlers in the West Bank are living with 2.8 million Palestinians.

Tal Menashe Settlement

• It is an extension (suburb) of the Hinanit settlement.
• The settlement is located on Mount Amir in Samarian hills on the northwestern West Bank.
• Tal Menashe was founded in the year 1992 in temporary camp.
• It moved to it final land in the year 1999 on state lands.
• This settlement was founded by a group of Israelis.
• This settlement of Israeli is considered as illegal under the international laws but, Israeli opposes this viewpoint.

West Bank

It is a landlocked territory near the Mediterranean coast of Western Asia. The country is bordered by Jordan and the Dead Sea to the east and Israel to the south, west and north. Israel has occupied the country since 1967. The area has been divided into 167 Palestinian “islands” which runs under Palestinian rule and 230 Israeli settlements on which Israeli law is followed.

History of west bank

The territory occupied the name “West Bank” after it was captured by Jordan in 1948 ArabIsraeli War. The country is situated on west side of the Jordan river. After the war, Jordan had annexed the territory in 1950. It was under the control of Jordon until 1967. After that, the country was occupied by Israel during a Six-Day War in 1967.

Oslo Accords

This accord was signed between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel. This accord had created administrative districts by providing varying levels of Palestinian autonomy within each area. Once such area is Area C which is maintained by Israel completely with respect to civil and security control. This area covers the 60% of the territory of the West Bank.