France Condemns Israel's Decision To Expand Settlements In The West Bank

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION / UNSPLASH / Jerusalem

JAKARTA - France condemned Israel's approval of a number of additional settlement units in the occupied West Bank, Friday night (8/3).

Israel has approved the construction of 3,500 new settlement units in the West Bank, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"France asks the Israeli government to immediately withdraw this unacceptable, illegal and irresponsible decision, given the already very high tensions in the West Bank, and ahead of the sensitive period of the holy days," the ministry stressed.

The statement stressed Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories were violations of international law and "must be stopped".

France condemns all unilateral steps that undermine the perspective of a two-state solution, which is the only solution that fulfills Israel's right to the security and legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, the ministry said further.

The ministry reminded France to impose sanctions on Israel that commit violence and extremists of West Bank settlers.

It was recorded that 30,800 Palestinians died in Gaza and nearly 73,000 others were injured amid mass destruction and shortages of basic necessities.

Israel has also imposed a blockade that crippled the Gaza Strip, causing its residents, especially residents of northern Gaza, to be on the verge of starvation.

Israeli attacks have forced 85 percent of Gaza's population to flee amid shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60 percent of infrastructure in the enclave has been damaged or destroyed, according to the United Nations.

Israel is being prosecuted for committing genocide at the International Court (ICJ). The interlocutory ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocide and take action to ensure that humanitarian aid was provided to civilians in Gaza.