Israeli policies go beyond West Bank annexation, settlement expert warns

Settlement affairs expert Suhail Khalilieh has said that Israeli authorities are pursuing policies that go beyond simply annexing the West Bank.

In remarks, Khalilieh stated that Israel is seeking to dismantle the Palestinian Authority. He noted that settlement expansion is not new, but the current Israeli government came to power under the banner of a “settlement revolution.”

He added that the government’s actions are centered on settlement activity, with plans to annex the West Bank and assume responsibility for its residents. Khalilieh pointed out that Israel entered the Oslo Accords to avoid responsibility for Palestinians in urban areas, and that current measures are aimed at restructuring the West Bank so that most of Area 'C' is handed over to the settlement council.