In the midst of rising tensions in the region, the Palestinians say the situation on the ground is deteriorating steadily. Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin said Israel is taking advantage of the global and regional crises to speed up the construction of settlements in the occupied West Bank. This is a deliberate move to consolidate long-term control over Palestinian land.
Rising concerns over settlement growth and policy shifts
Furthermore, Shahin stressed that Israeli authorities are pushing forward with new administrative and legislative steps that strengthen settlement expansion. As attention shifts elsewhere, she argued, these developments risk becoming permanent realities. In addition, policies weaken the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and deepen existing tensions across the region.
Escalating violence and restrictions on daily life
Meanwhile, the human cost is mounting. Palestinian sources report that several people have been killed in recent weeks, but this is just a small part of a much larger figure since October 2023.
Another issue that has been raised is that of restrictions on religious freedoms, particularly with regards to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. As Shahin put it, the restrictions that were put in place during the month of Ramadan were a denial of basic human freedoms.
The Palestinian leadership is now calling on the international community to take action in this situation.
