European countries, together with the UK, on Thursday joined the U.S. in lambasting Israel for its decision to construct more than 3,000 homes in Jewish settlements in the West Bank, and called for the plan to be scrapped — despite the fact the Israeli government has also approved a record 1,000 Palestinian homes.
France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden issued a joint statement calling on Israel to reverse the move.
“We urge the Government of Israel to reverse its decision to advance plans for the construction of around 3,000 settlement units in the West Bank,” the statement said.
“We reiterate our strong opposition to its policy of settlement expansion across the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which violates international law and undermines efforts for the two-state solution,” they said.
In a separate statement, the UK also called on Israel to cancel the construction, saying said settlements “are illegal under international law and present an obstacle to peace and stability.”
A tourist photographs a sign painted on a wall in the West Bank biblical town of Bethlehem calling to boycott Israeli products coming from Jewish settlements. (THOMAS COEX/AFP/Getty Images)
A day earlier, the Biden administration said it was “deeply concerned” about the new construction and was “strongly” opposed.
“We strongly oppose the expansion of settlements, which is completely inconsistent with efforts to lower tensions and to ensure calm and damages the prospects for a two-state solution,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said.
Russia also said it was “disappointed” with the decision.
“We reaffirm Russia’s principled position that Israel’s settlement activity is illegal,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.