Palestinian Authority official says legalisation of West Bank outposts aimed at pursuing 'genocide'

Wasel Abu Youssef, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), said Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's move to promote Israeli settlements in the West Bank is aimed a pursuing a "war of genocide" against Palestinians.

Smotrich announced earlier today that the Israeli security cabinet approved his proposal to legalise five West Bank outposts and sanction the Palestinian Authority. The Israeli government did not confirm his statement.

Abu Youssef said the settlements were "illegal colonies that violate all international resolutions".

"The decisions by the occupation government aim to pursue the war of genocide against our Palestinian people," he told Reuters.