Israel Denounced for Planned Expansion of Illegal Settlements in Occupied West Bank
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Foreign Ministers from France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, along with Norway's Foreign Minister, have joined the United States in condemning Israel's plans to expand illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
In a joint statement, the ministers expressed their strong opposition to these "unilateral actions" that will only "exacerbate tensions" and hinder efforts to reach a "negotiated two-state solution."
Meanwhile, Israeli right-wing minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has expressed his desire to see more Jewish settlements, stating that "nine settlements are nice, but it's not enough. We want much more."
The international community considers the settlements, built on the occupied territories, to be illegal under international law and the Geneva Conventions.
The UN Security Council has also condemned Israeli settlement activities in the occupied territories through several resolutions.
While Hossein Al Sheikh, a senior Palestinian official, welcomed the condemnation of the Western powers, he demanded that actions follow words.
The Israeli hardliners, who oppose Palestinian statehood, comprise a significant part of Israel's new cabinet and have made settlement construction a top priority.
Extremist Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced that around 10,000 new homes will be approved, and he and his allies are committed to removing restrictions on building in the occupied West Bank.
Currently, between 600,000 and 750,000 Israelis live in these settlements, comprising roughly 11% of the total Jewish Israeli population. All settlements are illegal according to international law.