“Israeli annexation larger than perceived”

DUBAI: An Israeli human rights group has said Israel’s illegal annexation of Palestinian land in the West Bank is much larger than is perceived.
According to the group, B’Tselem, the size of Israeli settlements has more than doubled because of unofficial annexations. It points out that thousands of hectares, adjoining the West Bank barrier that the Israelis have been building has been taken over.
All settlements on Palestinian land that Israel occupied during the 1967 war are illegal under international law. Israel has, however, settled 4,50,000 in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Israel has also justified the construction of the West Bank barrier, which it says has been built to keep out Palestinian suicide bombers. But in an advisory ruling issued four years ago, the International Court of Justice said barrier violated international law. It recommended that the separation wall should be abolished.