RAMALLAH, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Presidency slammed Thursday the Israeli Prime Minister for laying corner stone for new settlement units in a West Bank settlement, Palestinian official news agency (WAFA) reported.
Nabil Abu Rudeinah, Palestinian President's spokesperson, condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for laying foundational stones for over 1,000 units in Beitar Illit settlement located south of Bethlehem in the West Bank.
Abu Rudeinah said that the settlements are unlawful and East Jerusalem, West Bank and Gaza Strip are all Palestinian territories, in response to statements by Netanyahu in which he reportedly said that the West Bank and East Jerusalem are part of Israel.
"Settlement are basically illegal and the Israeli government has to immediately stop its destructive approach to the two-state solution," he said.
He also condemned Israel's announcement of evicting a family in the East Jerusalem town of Sheikh Jarrah for the benefit of Israeli settlers.
The presidential spokesperson urged the international community, especially the United States, to interfere and to stop Israeli settlement activity, warning that this might lead to uncontrollable consequences.
Beitar Illit is the second largest Jewish settlement in the West Bank, built since 1990 as part of the Gush Etzion settlement bloc in the south of the West Bank, with nearly 50,000 residents.
According to Israeli media, Netanyahu attended a corner stone laying ceremony for a new neighborhood in the settlement, where he reportedly said "we're connecting Beitar Illit to Jerusalem."
The issue of settlements is a major dispute that hurdled the Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations, and lead to its breakdown in March 2014, after nine months of U.S.- sponsored talks.
