The EU stresses that, under international law, the expansion of Israeli settlements is an “illegal” act, as it hinders the peace process.
“The European Union [EU] is fundamentally against building and expanding Israeli settlements. They are illegal from the point of view of international law and also constitute an obstacle in the peace process”, declared the spokesman for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the EU bloc, Peter Stano, in his daily press conference on Tuesday.
In this same line, Stano added that the 27 EU members are asking Israel to stop the expansion of its settlements and, instead of these illegal activities, they are urging the Tel Aviv regime to focus “on offering a vision to restart the talks and rebuild trust” with the occupied West Bank.
Such EU statements have come in reaction to a report released on Monday revealing that Israel’s war ministry is considering approving, shortly, the construction of some 850 illegal residential units in its settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
According to the report, 500 houses will be built in the settlements of Beit El, Oranit, Itamar, Givat Ze’ev and Shisavei Shomron. In addition, another 100 houses will be authorized in the settlement of Tal Menashe and plans are being considered for another 250 residential units in Nofei Nehemiah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on the same day that a panel of the war ministry will authorize plans for the construction of the new housing units.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Israeli regime, in the framework of its illegal expansionist policy on the occupied West Bank, intends to accelerate the expansion of the settlements before the outgoing US president, Donald Trump, leaves the White House on January 20.
by Xavier Cuesta – European Correspondent – VN