Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh urged the international community on Tuesday to pressure Israel to respect Palestinian sovereignty during a high-level meeting in Ramallah. Addressing ambassadors and diplomats, al-Sheikh emphasized the need for "real and effective pressure" to halt what he described as systematic violations of international law, including military operations in Gaza, settler violence in the West Bank, and Israel's withholding of Palestinian tax revenues.
Al-Sheikh warned that global silence emboldens Israel’s "aggressive and colonial policies," citing recent Israeli measures easing land purchases for Jewish settlers in historically restricted areas. He criticized the transfer of planning control over Hebron’s religious sites to Israeli authorities as a threat to regional stability.
The Palestinian official also highlighted the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, exacerbated by Israel’s blockade, and condemned escalating land seizures in the West Bank. Israel, which captured the territory in 1967, has faced longstanding international criticism for its settlement policies, deemed illegal under international law.
This appeal comes amid heightened tensions following Israel’s recent legal reforms facilitating settler land transactions, raising concerns over further fragmentation of Palestinian territories.
