The United States and the United Nations denounced Israel’s decision to confiscate 2300 dunums of land in the Jericho area.

According to Israeli media, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon called on Israel to reverse its decision, describing such as step as “an impediment to the two-state solution.”

The US Secretary of State, John Kerry said, “This is a troubling situation. This decision is an additional step in what looks like an ongoing process of land expropriation and settlement expansion that are fundamentally undermining the prospects for a two state solution."

He added, “We strongly oppose any steps that accelerate settlement expansion.”

Israel announced on Tuesday its decision to confiscate 2300 dunums of land in the occupied West Bank and declared them as “state land.”

Sources from the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Unit at the Israeli Ministry of Defense said that this step was taken in accordance with a political decision.

However, Israeli officials did not explain the reason behind the confiscation.

According to Peace Now, an anti-settlement Israeli organization, this was the largest confiscation of Palestinian land since 2014.

The confiscated land is located to the south of Jericho near the Dead Sea.

(Palestine Economy Portal, Agencies)