European Union Condemns Israel's Move to Annex 800 Hectares of Land For Settlement Development in West Bank

Construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. (Wikimedia Commons/Troclaire)

JAKARTA - The European Union on Sunday condemned Israel's move to annex 800 hectares of land for settlements in the occupied West Bank.

"The European Union firmly condemns the announcement by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich that more than 800 hectares of land in the occupied Palestinian territories have been declared 'state land'," the European Union said in a statement, reported by Anadolu March 24.

This is the largest seizure since the Oslo Accords were signed between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel in 1994, the bloc said.

“Settlements are a grave violation of international humanitarian law. "At this week's European Council, EU leaders condemned the Israeli Government's decision to expand illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, and urged Israel to reverse the decision," he added.

The statement also said the European Union is determined to fight terrorism with words and deeds, by continuously condemning Hamas in the strongest terms and through sanctions and other measures.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Presidency condemned the Israeli government's decision to seize land in the Jordan Valley.

The international community agrees that settlements are "illegal" and an obstacle to the implementation of the "two-state solution" which calls for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside the state of Israel.

Earlier, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Friday declared 800 hectares of land in the occupied West Bank as state land, in a move that will facilitate the use of such land for settlement construction.

The announcement underscores the government's determination to press ahead with settlement construction in the West Bank, despite international opposition.

"Even though there are those in Israel and in the world who seek to undermine our rights to Judea and Samaria and the country in general, we are promoting settlement through hard work and in a strategic manner throughout the country," said Minister Smotrich, using names mentioned in the Bible. for the West Bank region, quoted from Reuters.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said the latest move was "a continuation of the extermination and expulsion of our people from their homeland".

"International failure to protect our people is a form of complicity and cover for Israel to avoid punishment," he added.