EU condemns expansion of 'illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank'

The European Union condemned Sunday the Israeli announcement that an additional 800 hectares (1,977 acres) of land in the Jordan Valley would be classified as Israeli state land.

"The European Union firmly condemns the announcement by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich that over 800 hectares of land in the occupied Palestinian territory have been declared as ‘state lands.’ 

This is the largest confiscation since the Oslo Accords," read the condemnation.

The EU refuses to recognize changes to border

The EU reaffirmed that, in line with its longstanding position, it will not recognize changes to the 1967 borders that are not agreed upon by the parties involved.

"Settlements are a grave breach of international humanitarian law," the statement went on, adding that EU leaders condemned the decision to "further expand illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank" and urged Israel to reverse the decision.

The EU went on to condemn Hamas and reaffirm its commitment to Israel's security, saying that its position against Israeli expansion "goes hand in hand" with this commitment and with "ensuring that the horrific attacks against Israeli civilians on 7 October will never be repeated."

"Settlement expansion runs counter to this objective. It fuels tensions and undermines prospects for a two-state solution, which remains the only sustainable guarantee for the long-term security of both Israelis and Palestinians," concluded the statement.

Smotrich announced the expansion Friday, calling it "another dramatic and important step for the settlement of the Jordan Valley and Judea and Samaria."

The classification of the additional state land was authorized by Smotrich, through his role in the Defense Ministry, and with the oversight of the Civil Administration.

He noted that the declaration follows one made earlier this month that classified as state land 300 hectares in the area of Ma’aleh Adumin.

The declaration of territory in Area C of the West Bank as state land is a bureaucratic step that opens the door for the development of that land.