Israel’s approval of new West Bank settlements has drawn strong reactions globally, with the EU and OIC warning the move could deepen tensions and weaken chances of a negotiated peace.
File photo of Israeli settlement units in the occupied West Bank. The EU has criticised recent expansion plans. (Reuters via ANI)
The European Union on Friday sharply criticised Israel’s move to approve more than 30 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, calling it a clear breach of international law and a blow to already fragile peace prospects.
The strong reaction comes at a time when tensions in the region remain high, with international actors increasingly warning that continued settlement expansion could derail the long-standing two-state solution framework.
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In its statement, the EU said, “The recent Israeli decision to establish over 30 new settlements in the occupied West Bank is illegal under international law and severely undermines prospects for peace and the two-state solution.”
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The bloc also urged Israel to roll back its decision. It said, “The European Union strongly condemns Israel’s unilateral actions aiming to expand its presence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion of 19 July 2024 declared to be unlawful, and urges the Government of Israel to reverse these decisions, to abide by its obligations under international law and to protect the Palestinian population of the occupied territories.”
The EU also flagged growing concerns over violence on the ground, stating, “We equally condemn the continued and growing settler violence against Palestinian civilians. The European Union reaffirms its commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution in accordance with relevant UN Security Council Resolutions where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side-by-side in peace within secure and recognised borders.”
The backlash was not limited to Europe. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation also condemned Israel’s approval of 34 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Israeli rights group Peace Now said the decision had been taken quietly earlier this month. The Palestinian Presidency described the move as a “flagrant violation of international law”. There was no immediate response from the Israeli government, according to Al Jazeera.
The report added that the latest approvals come on top of 68 settlements cleared since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government took office in 2022.
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