The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement condemned on Tuesday Israel’s approval of a new settlement project on dozens of acres of privately-owned Palestinian land in Jenin. All of Israel’s settlements and so-called “settlement outposts” are illegal under international law.

“The confiscation of land belonging to Palestinians and the approval of a new settlement plan in the neighbourhoods of Yaabad and Aneen in the city of Jenin is yet another Zionist aggression,” said Hamas spokesman Hazem Qasem. “The settlement policy adopted by the extremist occupation government is a crime that violates international laws and conventions.”

No illegal projects like this will ever give legitimacy to Israel’s settler-colonial occupation of the historic Palestinian homeland, added Qasem. The people of occupied Palestine, he insisted, will stick to their land and legitimate rights while rejecting all Israeli settlement plans and projects.

The Hamas statement was issued following Israel’s approval of a plan to build 107 settlement units on 22 acres of Palestinian-owned land in Jenin.