Iran Press/ Europe: "Settlements are illegal under international law and constitute a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-state solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace between the parties," according to a statement from the office of EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
On Wednesday (27 October), Israelies announced their plan to build more than 3,000 new housing units in the West Bank.
Underlining that the EU strongly rejects the expansion of settlements, the statement said the union would not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including those pertaining to Al-Qods, that are not agreed upon by the parties.
The statement urged the Israeli settlers to revoke the recent steps, which are totally incompatible with ongoing efforts to reduce tensions, instead of focusing on furthering meaningful re-engagement between the conflicting parties.
"The EU will continue to play its part supporting steps towards sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians," it added.
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Israeli settlements are segregated enclaves built only for Israeli Jews on Palestinian land in the West Bank. They violate the Fourth Geneva Convention, an international law that prohibits a country from transferring its population into occupied territory.
There are currently about 700,000 Jews living in these occupied territories.
There were 13 illegal Jewish settlements in occupied Al-Qods and 253 others in the West Bank. More than 660,000 Jewish settlers live in these settlements, making life even harder for Palestinians living under occupation.
This is while the West Bank, including Al-Qods, is regarded as "occupied territory," making all Jewish settlements illegal under international law.
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