European states urge Israel to reverse settlement expansion plans

Germany, along with 11 other European countries, today urged Israel to reverse its decision to advance plans to construct around 3,000 settlement units in the occupied West Bank, Reuters reports.

In a joint statement by the foreign ministries of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain and Sweden, the countries said they opposed settlement expansion across the occupied Palestinian Territories.

“We call on both parties to build on steps taken in recent months to improve cooperation and reduce tensions,” the countries said.

Israel yesterday moved forward with plans to build some 3,000 homes for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank, defying the strongest criticism to date of such projects from the administration of US President Joe Biden.

Biden’s team had sent a written protest to the office of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett over the decision to authorise the construction of 3,000 new settlement units in the West Bank settlements.

READ: What if the Palestinians agreed to live under occupation?