Germany criticizes Israeli plans to expand settlements in occupied West Bank
Foreign Ministry calls announcement ‘unacceptable because it runs counter to a two-state solution�
BERLIN
Germany on Monday slammed Israeli plans to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank, calling them “unacceptable.”
“We call on the Israeli government to halt the expansion of the settlements, but above all, the practice of land seizure, destruction of homes and expulsion of the Palestinian population,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Josef Hinterseher said at a press briefing in Berlin.
He said Germany views the Israeli announcement “as unacceptable because it runs counter to a two-state solution” and “naturally rejects any annexation efforts.”
On Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the government had approved the construction of 22 new West Bank settlements, which will include a series of new communities and the legalization of several wildcat outposts.
According to Palestinian reports, approximately 770,000 Israeli settlers were living in 180 settlements and 256 outposts across the occupied territory by the end of 2024.
The UN considers all Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories illegal under international law and warns that their continued expansion jeopardizes efforts toward a two-state solution.
Tensions remain high across the occupied West Bank, where attacks by the Israeli army and settlers have resulted in at least 937 Palestinian deaths and more than 7,000 injuries since the Gaza offensive began in October 2023.
In July, the International Court of Justice ruled Israel’s long-standing occupation of Palestinian territories illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
