The European Union (EU) expressed concern over “reports of Israeli settlers’ plans to establish several new outposts in the occupied West Bank.”
“There are today 150 illegal outposts in the West Bank” the EU said in a statement issued Thursday.
Outposts often serve to establish or further expand illegal settlements and are a potential direct source of increased settler violence against Palestinians the statement reads.
Settlements and outposts are illegal under international law and constitute a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-State solution it added.
Along the same line Israeli authorities have approved the establishment of three new outposts in the occupied West Bank.
The plan includes the construction of 702 housing units on an area of 734 dunums of Palestinian land.
Nearly 666000 settlers live in more than 145 settlements that are authorized by Israel as well as 140 outposts Israel views as unlawful across the West Bank territories.
