Thursday, October 28, 2021
“Violates applicable international law”
Germany condemns Israel’s settlement plans
Israel’s plans to build thousands of apartments in the West Bank continue to generate fierce criticism: after the United States, twelve European states are addressing the government of Prime Minister Bennett. Settlements are undermining efforts to find a two-state solution, according to Berlin.
Together with eleven other European countries, Germany has criticized Israel’s planned settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. Israel finally approved the construction of 3,130 residential units in settlements on Wednesday. “We speak out again emphatically against the Israeli policy of settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territories; it violates international law and undermines efforts to find a two-state solution,” it said in a joint statement.
The twelve states called on Israel to withdraw the decision. “We call on both sides to build on the steps that have been taken in recent months to improve collaboration and ease tension,” it said.
A spokesman for Israeli housing minister Seew Elkin announced on Sunday that tenders had been published for the marketing of more than 1,300 apartments. The US State Department then clearly criticized the plans. The EU foreign affairs representative Josep Borrell also expressed concerns about the current situation in a statement on Wednesday evening.
During the Six Day War in 1967, Israel conquered the West Bank and East Jerusalem, among others. Around 600,000 Israelis live there today in more than 200 settlements. In 2016, the UN Security Council called these settlements a violation of international law and called on Israel to stop all settlement activities. The Palestinians want to establish their own state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. The new Israeli government under Naftali Bennett was sworn in in mid-June.