Israeli coalition shuns pact

Peace agreements signed under international auspices

“The UN Security Council Resolution 2334 clearly declared that all forms of settlement are illegal on the occupied Palestinian territories.”

The Israeli ministerial coalition has signed a deal to abandon bilateral peace agreements signed under international auspices, a senior Palestinian official said Sunday.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson of the Palestinian presidency, told reporters that the declared agreements and understandings in Israel “constitute a blatant challenge to the international resolutions and establish a new stage in violation of international law.”

Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and farright Noam party signed a coalition deal on Sunday, moving Netanyahu one step closer to forming what is expected to be the most right-wing government in Israeli history.

On Friday, Netanyahu signed an agreement with Itamar Ben-Gvir for the latter to assume the position of minister of internal security. The position will be an extended version of the public security minister, under which Ben-Gvir will be in charge of the police and paramilitary Border Police that operates alongside army soldiers in Palestinian population areas.

Spokesperson Abu Rudeineh said that any Israeli attempt to give legitimacy to the settlements built on the land of Palestine “is rejected and condemned, and these attempts will not give legitimacy to anyone.”

He said “the UN Security Council Resolution 2334 clearly declared that all forms of settlement are illegal on the occupied Palestinian territories.”

Abu Rudeineh also called on the US “to clearly define its position on these Israeli understandings, which defy international legitimacy and the positions of the international community, including the official US one.”

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye on Sunday accused Israel of seizing two-thirds of the Palestinian groundwater and diverting it into its cities and settlements.

Ishtaye made the remarks at a media briefing ahead of the Fourth Arab Water Conference organized by Palestine under the slogan Arab Water Security for Life, Development and Peace, according to an official statement.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh Spokesperson of the Palestinian presidency