EU blasts Israel over new housing units in ‘illegal West Bank settlements’

The EU has harshly reacted to the decision of the Israeli authorities on January 5 and 6 to approve the construction of almost two thousand housing units “in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.” The measure included the retroactive approval of already existing constructions, some of which were built on private Palestinian land.

The EU reiterates “its clear position that all settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory are illegal under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-state solution,” the European External Action Service said on Thursday.

“We call on the government of Israel to fully comply with international law, end all settlement activity on occupied territories and related actions,” the statement said. “Violence by settlers on Palestinian civilians and their property has to be stopped and prevented.”

The EU also reiterated that it will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by both sides.