France, Canada slam Israel legalization of 5 new settlements

In a statement, France’s Foreign Ministry said it “strongly condemns” the moves, as well as Wednesday’s declaration of thousands of acres of land in the Jordan Valley.

According to Israeli media, the statement noted that the moves were “extremely serious” because of their implications for the stability of the West Bank and the region.

Israeli colonization of the Palestinian Territories, including East al-Quds, constitutes a violation of international law, France said.

“In addition to being a major obstacle to any just and lasting peace, this policy fuels tensions on the ground as violence perpetrated by settlers increases against the Palestinian population.”

Canada urged the Israeli regime to reverse the decisions, saying the move was in contravention of international law.

Canada firmly opposes Israel’s decision to approve new settlements in the West Bank. Unilateral actions, such as financially weakening the Palestinian Authority and expanding settlements are in contravention of international law, the Canadian foreign ministry said in a statement on X.

The security cabinet approved the legalization of Evyatar in the northern West Bank, Sde Efraim, and Givat Asaf in the central West Bank, and Heletz and Adorayim in the south of the territory, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s office said last month, adding that the cabinet had also approved advancing plans for thousands of new settlement homes in the West Bank.

The European Union also slammed the move as “another deliberate attempt at undermining peace efforts”, while Germany called it “disturbing and cynical.”

Wasel Abu Youssef, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), said the move is aimed at pursuing a “war of genocide” against Palestinians, adding that the settlements are “illegal colonies that violate all international resolutions.

More than 600,000 Zionists live in over 230 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East al-Quds.

The international community views the settlements – hundreds of which have been built across the West Bank since Tel Aviv’s occupation of the territory in 1967 – as illegal under international law and the Geneva Conventions due to their construction on the occupied territories.

SD/PR