August 14, 2024- Americans for Peace Now strongly condemns the Israeli government’s announcement of approval for a new settlement, Nahal Heletz, between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. The settlement is deliberately designed to disrupt the contiguity of an eventual Palestinian state, as acknowledged by Finance Minister and settler leader Bezalel Smotrich.

In formally approving the first new settlement to be announced since 2017, the Israeli government is defying the Biden Administration and the international community, who rightfully insist that new settlements are an obstacle to a resolution of the conflict. The location of this settlement also encroaches on the Palestinian village of Battir, home to ancient hillside agricultural terraces that have been designated a world heritage site by UNESCO.

APN President and CEO Hadar Susskind said, “While the international community is rightly focused on the ongoing war in Gaza, Israel’s far-right government continues to use this opportunity to pursue the de facto annexation of the West Bank. Netanyahu and his government should be putting all of their efforts toward achieving a ceasefire, bringing the hostages home, and working towards a permanent long-term political solution. We urge the Biden administration to take every step possible to deter Israel from its suicidal path to more violence and disruption.”