PLO report: Israel is accelerating settlement activities in the West Bank

In the weekly report published by the National Bureau for the Defense of Territories and Combating Settlement Activities affiliated with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), it was pointed out that settlement activities have accelerated on the eve of the elections planned to be held in Israel in October.

The report stated that unexpected developments were taking place in the West Bank and noted that the Israeli government tried to undermine the Second Oslo Accord signed in 1995 and subsequent agreements by opening Region "C" to all kinds of looting and taking away many of the powers of the Palestinian administration in regions "A" and "B".

The statement reminded that Israel has been trying to minimize the Palestinian presence in Area C for years, and emphasized that the Israelis, who have usurped Palestinians' lands for the last 2.5 years, established 26 illegal settlements and livestock-based farms in Area B and seized over 100 thousand decares of land in Palestinian-controlled areas A and B.

It was also stated that there was an unprecedented increase in the military orders issued by the Israeli authorities to seize lands in Area A.

Within the scope of the Second Oslo Accords signed between the Palestinian administration and Israel in 1995, the West Bank was divided into zones A, B and C.

The administrative and security control of "Area A", which constitutes approximately 18 percent of the West Bank, was left to the Palestinian administration, and the administrative control of "Area B", which constitutes approximately 22 percent, was left to the Palestinian administration, and its security was left to Israel. Administrative and security control of "Area C", which constitutes more than 60 percent, was transferred to Israel.