Criticism from Germany towards Israel: Perceived Actions Contravene International Law - International Law Violation Criticized by Germany in Regard to Israel
The West Bank is at the centre of a contentious plan to expand Israeli settlements, proposed by Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's right-wing finance minister. The plan, part of the E1 project, includes the construction of 3,400 new housing units in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a move that could effectively split the West Bank into two separate parts[1][2].
Impact on Palestinian Population
This expansion is seen as a major obstacle to the establishment of a viable Palestinian state. By restricting the mobility of the Palestinian population in the West Bank, the plan would divide it in two, effectively cutting off East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank[1]. This severing of key territorial links between major Palestinian cities like Ramallah and Bethlehem would significantly impact the daily lives of the around three million Palestinians living in the West Bank alongside around 500,000 Israelis[1].
International Legal Implications
The E1 settlement approval violates international law principles related to the occupation. Specifically, it contravenes the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits an occupying power from transferring its own civilian population into occupied territory[1]. The United Nations and numerous human rights organizations have condemned settlement expansion as illegal[1].
The plan threatens the territorial contiguity needed for Palestinian self-determination and statehood, undermining UN resolutions and peace agreements that envision two states based on the 1967 borders[1][2]. The demolition orders given to Bedouin communities in the area and the restrictions on Palestinian movement also violate human rights and humanitarian law.
International Reactions
The German Foreign Office has stated that the plan would violate international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions[1]. The EU has called on the Israeli government to refrain from implementing the settlement plan, with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas expressing concern that it undermines the two-state solution[1].
Peace Now, an Israeli anti-settlement organization, warns that implementing the settlement plan would be fatal for the future of Israel and any chance of a two-state solution[1]. The Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called for international intervention and sanctions to prevent the settlement project[1].
Key European countries, including the UK and France, have signaled their intention to recognize an independent Palestinian state at the upcoming UN General Assembly in September if Israel does not cease hostilities in Gaza and take steps toward lasting peace[1]. Palestinian analysts and activists interpret the E1 approval as an Israeli strategy to “bury” the Palestinian state prospect entirely, marking a severe setback to peace efforts and raising fears of further ethnic and territorial fragmentation of Palestinian inhabited areas[2].
Next Steps
The settlement plan is set to be discussed next Wednesday in the Ministry of Defense[1]. Construction of the settlement plan could begin within a few months[1]. Smotrich, however, has been vocal in his support for the plan, stating that those who want to recognize a Palestinian state would receive a response in the form of concrete facts: houses, neighborhoods, streets, and Jewish families building their lives[1].
In summary, the West Bank settlement plans in E1 significantly escalate tensions by creating a physical and political barrier to Palestinian statehood, violating international law, and prompting formal recognition efforts for Palestine by key European countries as a response[1][2]. The implications of this plan are far-reaching and could have significant consequences for the future of the region.
[1] The Times of Israel, 2023. [2] Al Jazeera, 2023.
- The proposed Israeli settlement expansion in the E1 project, which is a major component of the controversial community policy, is causing concern within policy-and-legislation circles, as it is viewed as a violation of international law related to war-and-conflicts and human rights.
- Amidst ongoing politics and general-news discussions about the West Bank, European nations are considering policy changes, including the possibility of recognizing a Palestinian state, as a response to the employment policy implications involving the Israeli settlement plan and the resulting ethnic-and-territorial fragmentation, which threatens peace and stability in the region.
