U.S. Administration opposes development of new communities in the West Bank region
The German government has joined the chorus of international voices criticizing the Israeli government's annexation plans and settlement construction in the West Bank, particularly in the sensitive E1 area. This region is considered a key point of contention in the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
Approximately three million Palestinians reside in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, areas occupied by Israel during the Six-Day War in 1967. Over 700,000 settlers currently live in these territories. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich recently announced plans to build 3,400 housing units in the E1 area, between East Jerusalem and Maale Adumim.
This development, if realized, would significantly hinder, if not make impossible, the creation of a contiguous territory for a future Palestinian state. The international community views this plan as a significant obstacle to a viable future Palestinian state and a two-state solution.
Key international actors, including the United Nations, the United Kingdom, France, and a coalition of at least 21 countries, have condemned the plan as a violation of international law and a threat to the territorial contiguity essential for Palestinian statehood.
The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the decision, stating that Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are illegal under international law. He further emphasized that this settlement expansion would sever the northern West Bank from the southern, severely undermining the territorial contiguity of a future Palestinian state.
The British government has formally protested by summoning the Israeli ambassador and warned that the plan would critically undermine the two-state solution by dividing the future Palestinian state into disconnected parts. France has announced its intention to recognize Palestinian statehood at the upcoming UN General Assembly if progress toward peace is not made.
The Palestinian Authority and various international organizations echo these concerns, emphasizing that settlement expansion exacerbates movement restrictions on Palestinians and undermines prospects for peace.
It's worth noting that the German government has stated it will only recognize border changes from June 4, 1967 that are agreed upon by the conflicting parties. The development in the E1 area would effectively divide the West Bank into northern and southern parts, potentially complicating any future negotiations.
Under international law, settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are considered illegal. The international community's criticism of Israel's plans in the E1 area reflects a collective concern for the future of a two-state solution and the prospect of a viable Palestinian state.
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