Minister Shahin held a press briefing where she addressed Arab and international media representatives

Minister Shahin held a press briefing where she addressed Arab and international media representatives

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Varsen Shahin, held a press briefing on Thursday at the Ministry's headquarters, where she addressed Arab and international media representatives. During the briefing, she highlighted the unprecedented escalation of settler terrorism in the West Bank, warning of the dangers of what she described as a systematic approach aimed at imposing facts on the ground and undermining the two-state solution.

The minister stressed that the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory can no longer be viewed as isolated "acts of violence," but rather as "organized terrorism" carried out by armed settler groups. She noted that these groups often operate under the protection of Israeli forces and constitute a direct extension of policies of annexation and settlement expansion.

Shahin pointed to a sharp increase in the frequency and severity of settler attacks, explaining that such violence includes killings, physical assaults, the burning of homes and agricultural lands, destruction of infrastructure, theft of property, and incitement practices such as targeting places of worship. She emphasized that the objective of these actions is to intimidate Palestinians and force them off their land.

She held the Israeli government fully responsible, asserting that impunity and the lack of international accountability have contributed to the escalation of these violations, alongside political and legislative support for settlement activity.

In this context, the minister reviewed ongoing diplomatic efforts to mobilize stronger international positions and push for sanctions and accountability measures. She also outlined government steps to strengthen the resilience of citizens, including support for 138 municipalities and local councils, expansion of emergency services, and the documentation of violations at the international level.

Finally, she called on media outlets to report the facts accurately, stressing that the current situation represents a real test of the credibility of international law and requires immediate action to hold those responsible accountable.