Ammon News - Jordan has strongly condemned Israel’s recent approval of plans to build 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, describing the move as a serious breach of international law and a direct assault on Palestinian rights.

In a statement on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs said the decision constitutes a "flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law," and undermines prospects for peace by entrenching the occupation.

The ministry warned that such unilateral actions further erode the viability of a two-state solution by impeding the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Ministry spokesperson Ambassador Sufyan Qudah reiterated Jordan’s outright rejection of the settlement expansion, calling it a violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334. The resolution reaffirms the illegality of all Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, and demands an immediate halt to such practices.

Qudah noted that the Israeli decision also contradicts the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which deemed the settlements unlawful and called for the end of the occupation. He stressed that Israel's continued construction and expansion of settlements reflect a deliberate disregard for international appeals to cease these activities.

"All measures and decisions taken by Israel in the occupied West Bank are null and void," Qudah said, adding that Israel holds no sovereignty over Palestinian land.

He urged the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities by taking concrete steps to halt Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza, curb the escalation in the West Bank, and ensure the protection of the Palestinian people. The statement also called for renewed efforts to support Palestinians in realizing their legitimate rights, including the right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state.