Jerusalem: The Jerusalem Governorate affirmed that an agreement to build approximately 2,780 settlement units to expand a settlement established on Palestinian land north of occupied Jerusalem reveals, in essence, annexation intentions.

According to Qatar News Agency, the Governorate stated that the agreement constitutes a misleading cover aimed at expanding the boundaries of the occupation municipality in Jerusalem beyond the Green Line. This move is seen as part of a calculated policy to impose new sovereign realities on the ground without an official declaration.

The statement explained that the plan includes constructing hundreds of settlement units on land that is geographically separated from a nearby settlement in the same area. Currently, there are no direct roads linking them, despite previous proposals to establish a bridge to connect the two.

The Governorate highlighted that the advancement and acceleration of the plan followed extensive settlement-related changes introduced by Minister of Finance in the Israeli government, Bezalel Smotrich. These changes included creating mechanisms to expedite the approval of settlement projects in the West Bank, enabling the plan's implementation within a few years.

It emphasized that these measures expose the occupation's policy of gradual annexation and the imposition of de facto sovereignty. This is seen as part of a broader project aimed at altering the geographic and demographic character of occupied Jerusalem, undermining any possibility of a political solution based on international law.

On February 3, the occupation government announced the signing of an agreement with a substantial budget to establish approximately 2,780 new settlement units. This development will be accompanied by roads, infrastructure, and various facilities near a settlement built on Palestinian land.