The Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Hissein Ibrahim Taha, has strongly condemned Israel’s decision to issue a tender for the construction of 1,234 new settlement units in occupied Jerusalem.
Taha said the move forms part of Israel’s wider settlement and annexation policies.
He warned that the plan could change the legal, political and demographic character of the occupied Palestinian territories.
OIC Warns of Forced Displacement
The OIC chief said the new settlement plan could threaten Palestinian communities in the area.
He warned that the project could contribute to the forced displacement of Bedouin communities.
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According to Taha, the plan could also isolate occupied Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings and weaken the territorial unity of the Palestinian land.
Settlement Expansion Draws International Criticism
Taha said Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories violates international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.
He specifically referred to UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which addresses Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory.
The OIC has repeatedly called for international action against settlement expansion and measures that could change the status of occupied Palestinian territory.
Call for International Action
The OIC secretary-general urged the international community to take action against Israel over the settlement plan.
He called on the UN Security Council to fulfill its legal and moral responsibilities.
Taha also urged international actors to press Israel to comply with its obligations under international law.
E1 Settlement Plan Raises Wider Concerns
The tender concerns settlement construction under the plan commonly known as E1, an area east of Jerusalem.
The project has drawn criticism because of its potential impact on the territorial connection between Palestinian communities around Jerusalem and the wider West Bank.
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The OIC said the settlement project could undermine international efforts to achieve a two-state solution.
OIC Calls for Protection of Palestinian Land
Taha said the international community must work to prevent further changes to the status of occupied Palestinian territory.
He also called for an end to what the OIC describes as systematic violations against Palestinians, their land and their holy sites.
The latest statement adds to growing international criticism of Israel’s settlement plans in occupied territory.
