Britain Germany and Italy have voiced deep concern about Israeli plans to build new settler homes in the occupied Palestinian territories.
In a statement issued by Britain’s Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) minister James Cleverly said his country is “seriously concerned by Israel’s decision to approve 780 new settlement units in the West Bank.”
“We urge Israel not to proceed with their construction. Settlements are illegal under international law and risk undermining the physical viability of the two-state solution” Cleverly added.
An FCDO spokesman also called for the construction of settlements “in east Jerusalem and elsewhere in the West Bank to cease immediately.”
Germany also in a statement released on Monday by its Federal Foreign Office said it is very concerned over Tel Aviv’s intent to expand settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem and called for stopping its plans in this regard.
Its statement underscored that Israel’s settlement expansion activity violates international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions affirming that its settlement expansion measures grievously harm the prospect of reaching a two-state solution.
For its part Italy’s ministry of foreign affairs reiterated the same position over Israel’s decision to build new settler homes in the occupied West Bank and urged it to reconsider such step.
Its statement said that Israel’s expansion of settlements in the West Bank “violates international law and threatens to do irreparable damage to the process intended to reach a just and sustainable two-state solution in line with internationally recognized principles and relevant UN resolutions.”
“Italy calls for refraining from any unilateral action that has no effect other than weakening the efforts underway to restore the climate of confidence between the two parties and threatening any chance to resume direct peace negotiations” the Italian foreign ministry said.
