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.

Settlements are a grave breach of international humanitarian law. At this week’s European Council, EU leaders condemned Israeli Government decisions to further expand illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank, urging Israel to reverse these decisions. In line with its longstanding common position  and UN Security Council Resolutions, the EU will not recognise changes to the 1967 borders unless agreed by the parties.

This position goes hand in hand with the EU’s commitment to Israel’s security and to ensuring that the horrific attacks against Israeli civilians on 7 October will never be repeated. The EU is determined to fight such terrorism in word and deed, by continuously condemning Hamas in the strongest possible terms and through sanctions and other measures.

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.