EU condemns Israel’s move to allow 5 settlement posts in the West Bank

BRUSSELS: The European Union (EU) strongly condemns the announcement by Israel’s Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, that five settlement posts will be allowed in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Bernama reported, in a statement, EU spokesperson Peter Stano said this was a deliberate effort to undermine the peace process.

At the European Council this week, Stano said EU leaders condemned the Israeli Government’s decision to expand illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank and urged Israel to reverse those decisions.

“In accordance with the joint position and Resolution of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the EU will not recognize changes to the 1967 borders unless agreed upon by the parties involved.

“The EU reiterates that the act of weakening Palestinian authority must stop and calls on Israel to lift financial sanctions and take the necessary steps to ensure that correspondent banking services between Israeli and Palestinian banks remain operational,” he said.

Stano stressed, the EU reaffirms its firm commitment to lasting and sustainable peace in line with the revolution related to the UNSC as the basis for a two-state solution in dealing with conflicts.

On Thursday, the Israeli Cabinet approved measures proposed by Smotrich to ‘validate’ settlement posts in the West Bank.

Settlement posts are small communities established by illegal Israeli settlers on privately owned Palestinian land.