BETHLEHEM, Monday, August 2, 2021 (WAFA) – Israeli settlers today embarked on opening a settlers-only road on Palestinian land in the village of Kisan to the east of Bethlehem, in the southern occupied West Bank, according to a local official.

Ahmad Ghazal, deputy head of Kisan village council, told WAFA correspondent a group of Israeli settlers from the nearby settlement of Ibi Hanahel, built illegally on Palestinian land, proceeded to open a road designated for the sole use of settlers on land belonging to a local Palestinian family in the village of Kisan.

The opening of the road aims at seizing more Palestinian land for the benefit of expanding the said settlement, he said.

The establishment of settlements on the West Bank violates international humanitarian law, which establishes the principles applying during war and occupation. Moreover, the settlements lead to the infringement of international human rights law, said the Israeli information center for human rights in occupied territories, B’Tselem.

"Israel uses the seized lands to benefit the settlements, while prohibiting the Palestinian public from using them in any way. This use is forbidden and illegal in itself, even if the process by which the lands were taken were fair and in accordance with international and Jordanian law. As the occupier in the Occupied Territories, Israel is not permitted to ignore the needs of an entire population and to use land intended for public needs solely to benefit the settlers, it said.

T.R.