German Foreign Ministry says Israel's new settlement plans violate international law and threaten viability of two-state solution
Germany on Thursday firmly opposed Israel's plans to construct thousands of new settler units that would effectively split the West Bank into two disconnected parts.
The German Foreign Ministry stated that the settlements violate international law, complicate a negotiated two-state solution and hinder ending the Israeli occupation of the West Bank as demanded by the International Court of Justice.
"Plans for the 'E1' settlement and the expansion of Ma'ale Adumim would further restrict the mobility of the Palestinian population in the West Bank, effectively divide the West Bank into two halves, and cut off East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank," the ministry said.
"The German government calls on the Israeli government to halt settlement construction and will only recognize changes to the June 4, 1967 borders that would be mutually agreed upon by the parties to the conflict. The German government clearly rejects any annexation plans by the Israeli government,” the statement said.
Israeli media reported earlier Thursday that Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich approved the construction of 3,401 settler units in Ma’ale Adumim, east of Jerusalem, and 3,515 more in surrounding areas. The project aims to split the West Bank into two parts, severing connections between its northern and southern cities and isolating East Jerusalem.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry denounced the move as part of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vision for a “Greater Israel,” warning it would entrench the occupation and eliminate the viability of a Palestinian state.
The international community, including the UN, considers the Israeli settlements illegal under international law. The UN has repeatedly warned that continued settlement expansion threatens the viability of a two-state solution, a framework seen as key to resolving the decades-long Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
In an advisory opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
