The European Union condemns the adoption by the Israeli Knesset on 6 February “the settlement Act”, said Tuesday the head of EU diplomacy Federica Mogherini.
“This law crosses a new and dangerous threshold, legitimizing in accordance with Israeli law, the withdrawal of ownership rights of the Palestinians and, in fact, solving the confiscation of private Palestinian land in the occupied territories”, – reads the statement of the EU high representative for foreign Affairs, issued in Brussels.
Mogherini indicates that the act allows “legalization” of the many villages and outposts, which were previously considered illegal even under Israeli law and which are illegal under international law.
According to the head of European diplomacy, in addressing this issue, the Israeli Parliament went beyond its jurisdiction.
When implemented, says Mogherini, the law will interfere with the plans of coexistence of two States, and consolidate the inequalities, the eternal occupation and conflict.
The high representative of the EU recalled that “in accordance with the recently adopted resolution 2334 UN security Council, Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory are illegal under international law”. “As stated in the recommendations of the report “middle East Quartet”, such settlements are an obstacle to peace and threaten the viability of (perspective – ed.) two States,” reads the communiqué.
The EU called on the Israeli leadership to refrain from the use of this law and avoid measures to further increase tensions and jeopardize the prospects for a peaceful settlement of the conflict. Israel awaiting confirmation of the actions and policies of the commitment to resolve the conflict by creating two States in order to restore mutual trust and create conditions for direct and constructive negotiations, the statement said Mogherini.
