Islam Times - US urges Israel to reverse land grab decision

Islam Times - The United States has described the Israeli army's announcement of new land grabs in the occupied West Bank as "counterproductive" to the so-called peace efforts, calling on Tel Aviv to reverse the decision.

"This announcement, like every other settlement announcement Israel makes, planning step they approve and construction tender they issue is counterproductive to Israel's stated goal of a negotiated two-state solution with the Palestinians," said an American State Department official.

The official called on Tel Aviv "to reverse the decision."

Israel declared on Sunday that nearly a thousand acres of land in the Etzion settlement bloc near Beit Lahm were "state land, on the instructions of the political echelon" by the military-run Civil Administration.

Peace Now, an Israeli anti-settlement group, described land grab as the biggest appropriation in 30 years.

Palestinian chief negotiator, Saeb Erakat called the new move another example of crimes committed by Israel against the Palestinian people.

Israel has seized tens of thousands of hectares of Palestinian land since 1967.

Israeli settlement activities are illegal under international law.

Washington is a staunch ally of Tel Aviv and has been financially and militarily supporting Israel since its creation. The United States has vetoed all anti-Israeli resolutions at the United Nation’s Security Council.