RAMALLAH, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Palestine on Sunday condemned the construction of a new Israeli settlement outpost in the suburb of the Palestinian village of Mukhmas north of East Jerusalem.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the building of the new settlement outpost came after the Israeli authorities confiscated Palestinian lands for the construction of the outpost and settlement roads.
"The Israeli act is rejected and condemned, which falls within the framework of a silent and creeping annexation process under the supervision and support of the Israeli government," the statement said.
It noted that "settlement is a crime in every sense of the word according to international law," adding the ministry "is following up all developments in this regard with the International Criminal Court to hold Israel accountable for it."
On Saturday night, Israeli settlers established a settlement outpost near Mukhmas village which is located eight kilometers from Jerusalem, with the protection of Israeli forces, according to the Settlement and Wall Resistance Commission of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
The commission said in a statement that settlers seized Palestinian lands on the outskirts of the village and started establishing a new settlement outpost bearing the name "Sde Yonatan" in an important strategic and geographical area.
The Israeli authorities didn't comment after announcing the building of the settlement outpost.
According to official Palestinian figures, more than 700,000 Israeli settlers live in 151 settlements established on Palestinian land in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which are claimed by the Palestinians, in the 1967 Middle East war and has controlled them ever since. ■
