The Palestinian Authority warned on Friday that Israel’s Supreme Court’s agreement to demolish more than 12 Palestinian villages in Masafer Yatta amounts to ethnic cleansing.

According to Wafa News Agencythe expulsions would result in the displacement of more than 4,000 Palestinian citizens, confirmed Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for PA President Mahmoud Abbas.

Abu Rudeineh also condemned Israel’s expropriation of 22,000 dunums of Palestinian land in several villages south of Jericho under the E1 settlement plan, which aims to isolate the occupied city of Jerusalem from the rest of the occupied West Bank.

“Israeli’s decision regarding the villages of Masafer Yatta, which affects thousands of Palestinian citizens, including 500 children, amounts to forced displacement and ethnic cleansing, in violation of international law and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. UN,” Abu Rudeineh said.

He added: “These measures are dangerous, condemned and rejected. All Israeli demolitions, evictions and settlements are part of the apartheid regime that the occupation applies to Palestinians and their lands in international silence.

The PA official stressed that “this will have serious consequences on the ground”, attributing full responsibility for the consequences to the Israeli government.

READ: Palestine urges UNSC to stop Israeli escalations

Abu Rudeineh said that these Israeli measures: “Come at a time when many regional and international parties are making efforts to prevent escalation and ease tensions on the ground due to the continued Israeli aggression against our people and our places. Islamic and Christian saints in the occupied territories”. Jerusalem.”

He called on the international community to assume its responsibilities and to: “Turn silent condemnation of the settlements into action by pressuring the Israeli government to stop its settlements, killings, attempts to change the status quo in Al- Haram Al-Sharif and incursions into Palestinian towns and villages”.

At the same time, he urged the US administration to assume its responsibilities to stop the “Israeli recklessness” that fuels escalation and tensions.

“It is time to deliver on the commitments of President Biden’s administration on the ground because the current situation imposed by provocative Israeli decisions and measures can never continue,” Abu Rudeineh said.

According to UN statistics, Israel has demolished or expropriated 217 Palestinian buildings in Masafer Yatta since 2011, displacing 608 Palestinians.