DayofPal-The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has fiercely condemned recent remarks by Israeli ministers advocating for the imposition of Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank.
In a fiery statement released Monday, the movement labeled the comments as a “desperate attempt to liquidate the Palestinian cause through theft of land and the erasure of its indigenous people.”
“These statements reflect the colonial and fascist mindset that governs the Israeli occupation,” the statement read, calling the ministers’ remarks a blatant violation of international law and UN resolutions.
Hamas urged the global community and the United Nations to take immediate action to hold Israel accountable and halt its “criminal expansionist policies” targeting Palestinian land, people, and holy sites.
The remarks came in the wake of a ceremony marking the opening of a new neighborhood in the “Har Bracha” settlement, where four Israeli ministers, all members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition, publicly called for the annexation of the West Bank.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Israeli affairs expert Dr. Muhannad Mustafa explained that the Netanyahu government is laying the legal groundwork for a gradual annexation plan.
“The regime is working through legislative channels to normalize the imposition of Israeli law over parts of the West Bank,” he said, describing the move as the first step toward de facto annexation.
While a majority of Israelis reportedly do not support outright annexation, and instead prefer separation from Palestinians without granting them statehood, Mustafa warned that apathy among the Israeli public could facilitate the right-wing’s goals.
“The current focus on the war in Gaza and the captives’ crisis has diverted public attention,” he noted. “And because annexation doesn’t yet carry a visible cost, the public remains largely indifferent.”
Mustafa estimates that only around 25% of Israelis actively support annexation, with the rest favoring a status quo that avoids both full occupation and Palestinian sovereignty. However, the ruling coalition, driven by a staunchly right-wing and religious minority, sees this moment as a strategic opportunity.
“They are moving piece by piece,” Mustafa said, “choosing specific areas to begin with, crafting unique legislation for them, and then gradually expanding.”
Since the beginning of the war on Gaza in October 2023, Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, have openly declared their rejection of a future Palestinian state and their intent to absorb the West Bank into Israel.
Parallel to the military campaign in Gaza, Israel has intensified its efforts in the West Bank. This includes accelerated settlement construction, escalated military raids—particularly in the northern regions—and the displacement of Palestinian residents.
Hamas has thereby called on Palestinians to escalate resistance “in all forms” and to continue confronting both the Israeli military and settler groups.
“The only way to break the will of the occupier and thwart their Judaization plans,” the movement said, “is through relentless uprising.”
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