West Jerusalem’s expansionist actions are an effort to prevent the creation of an independent Palestinian state, SACP has said The Israeli government has approved the construction of 19 new settlements in the West Bank, a move the South African Communist Party (SACP) described as a blatant violation of international law and a serious setback for peace in the region.”This latest expansionist act by the Israeli regime underscores the political belligerence and territorial ambitions that continue to suppress the prospects of a sovereign Palestinian state,” SACP said a statement on Sunday.The decision comes just months after Israel approved 22 new settlements in May, signaling a sharp increase in settlement activity and raising global concern over the ongoing annexation of Palestinian land. International law considers such settlements illegal, and critics warn that continued expansion could permanently undermine the two-state solution.”The fate of the West Bank is intricately linked to the broader struggle for Palestinian liberation,” the spokesperson added.”Attempts to intensify illegal annexation amount to strategic sabotage of any realistic path toward a free, independent Palestinian state.” The SACP has urged the United Nations (UN) and the international community to take decisive action against Israel’s settlement policies.”We call on peace-loving people and working-class movements worldwide to stand against this colonisation,” the statement read.The announcement has sparked renewed debate over Israel’s long-term strategy in the West Bank, where decades of settlement expansion have heightened tensions and drawn repeated international condemnation.Human rights organisations have previously warned that continued settlement construction not only violates international law but also erodes prospects for lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.First published by IOL