France, UK, Germany, EU: “All Israeli settlements are illegal”
France today joined the UK, Germany and the European Union in issuing statement criticizing Israel’s settlement expansion plans in the occupied West Bank, calling them illegal under international law.
JERUSALEM, Jan 10, 2019 (WAFA) — France condemned today the recent Israeli decision to greenlight the construction of 1,936 housing units in the West Bank illegal settlements.
The French consulate in Jerusalem said in a statement that the decision “comes at a troubling time of accelerated settlement on the West Bank and in East Jerusalem.”
“Settlements in all forms are illegal under international law, and specifically UN Security Council Resolution 2334. They heighten tensions on the ground and undermine the conditions for a just and lasting settlement between Israelis and Palestinians, based on the two-state solution,” the statement said.
France called on the Israeli authorities to “renounce these projects and all those that undermine the two-state solution.”
EARLIER news this week:
BRUSSELS, Jan 09, 2020 (WAFA) — The European Union today criticized Israeli plans to expand illegal settlements built in the occupied Palestinian territory and called on Israel to comply with international law that deems these settlements illegal.
Israel approved earlier this week the construction of almost 2000 housing units in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, including the retroactive approval of already existing constructions, some of which were built on private Palestinian land. This decision follows other settlement-related developments in recent months, “including in particularly sensitive places such as East Jerusalem and Hebron,” as came in a statement by the EU spokesperson on the latest Israeli settlement announcements.
“The European Union reiterates its clear position that all settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory are illegal under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-State solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace, as reaffirmed by UN Security Council Resolution 2334,” said the EU spokesperson.
“We call on the government of Israel to fully comply with international law, end all settlement activity on occupied territories and related actions,” said the spokesperson, stressing that the European Union “will not recognise any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by both sides.”
This EU position comes in stark contrast to the US, which has recognized Israel’s annexation of occupied East Jerusalem, deemed the illegal settlements not inconsistent with international law and seems to be on the way of recognizing Israel’s planned annexation of two thirds of the occupied West Bank, which would kill any chance of peace in the region, not to mention the two-state solution supported by the EU.
The EU spokesperson also denounced Israeli settlers’ violence against the Palestinian civilian population in the occupied territories.
“Violence by settlers on Palestinian civilians and their property has to be stopped and prevented,” said the statement.
The European Union reiterated its support to the resumption “of a meaningful process towards the two-State solution, the only realistic and viable way to fulfil the legitimate aspirations of both peoples.”
LONDON, Jan 08, 2020 (WAFA) — The United Kingdom condemned today Israeli government plans to build around 2000 new housing units in its illegal settlements in the occupied territories.
British Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Andrew Murrison, said in a statement that the “UK condemns the Israeli government’s advancement of yet more plans for over 1,900 housing units across the West Bank” and called on Israel “to halt settlement expansion immediately.”
He said, “It is the UK’s longstanding position that settlements are illegal under international law and undermine the viability of the two-state solution.”
BERLIN, Jan 09, 2020 (WAFA) — Germany today criticized Israeli plans to build almost 2000 housing units in the illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, stressing that settlements are illegal under international law.
“We have noted with great concern the Israeli authorities’ decisions to further expand settlements in the West Bank,” said a Federal Foreign Office spokesperson in a statement. “The German Government calls on those involved to refrain from taking any steps that would further hinder a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Middle East.”
The spokesperson added: “Like its partners in the European Union, the German Government regards the building of settlements in the Palestinian territories as illegal under international law and as a major obstacle to the possibility of a two-state solution to be negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians.”
