Palestinian President warns of forced migration due to Israeli settlement expansion

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has warned that the actions of the Israeli government are forcing Palestinians into migration. Speaking at a Fatah Revolutionary Council meeting, Abbas highlighted the dangerous escalation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, citing settlement expansion, land seizures, home demolitions, and the establishment of military checkpoints as primary pressures. He also noted that Israel is withholding over $6 billion in Palestinian funds, which he claims is intended to weaken the population's ability to resist and survive.

Abbas specifically criticized the E1 settlement project east of Jerusalem, stating it aims to sever the connection between northern and southern West Bank and isolate East Jerusalem, thereby undermining the possibility of a geographically unified Palestinian state. He emphasized that despite these conditions, the Palestinian people will not abandon their rights or land.

In a separate statement, Mahmut Arslan, President of the HAK-İŞ Confederation, expressed support for a joint decision by 12 nations—including Canada, France, and the UK—to impose commercial restrictions on illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories. Arslan called on the international community to move beyond mere condemnations and take concrete steps to stop the violence in Gaza and establish an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.