12 European Countries Urge Israel To Cancel Project To Build 3,000 Houses In West Bank

Illustration of Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank. (Wikimedia Commons/Trocaire)

JAKARTA - At least 12 European countries have urged Israel to cancel the construction of more than 3,000 houses, which are part of settlement construction in the West Bank.

A day after the United States criticized the plan, France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden said in a joint statement that Israel should reverse its decision to build settlements.

"We urge the Israeli government to reverse its decision to advance plans for the construction of some 3,000 settlement units in the West Bank," the foreign ministries of 12 countries said, citing the Daily Sabah Oct. 28.

"We reiterate our strong opposition to the policy of expanding settlements throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which violates international law and undermines efforts for a two-state solution," they continued.

Earlier, Israel on Wednesday made a new move to build settler homes in the occupied West Bank, a move also condemned by Palestinians.

The Civil Administration's top planning committee gave final approval for 1,800 homes and initial support for another 1,344, said a spokesman for the military body that oversees civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories.

To note, some 475,000 Israeli Jews already live in settlements in the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law, on land the Palestinians claim as part of their future state.

The agreement came a day after Washington criticized Israel for its policy of building settlements, with President Joe Biden's administration saying it was "strongly" opposed to new construction in the West Bank.