15 European countries urge Israel to stop plans for more illegal settlements in West Bank

Fifteen European countries on Friday urged Israel to stop plans for more illegal settlements in the West Bank, according to an official statement.

"We are deeply concerned by the decision of the Israeli Higher Planning Council to advance plans for the construction of more than 4,000 housing units in the West Bank," said spokespersons for the foreign ministries of France, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, and Sweden.

"We urge the Israeli authorities to reverse this decision," the statement added.

"The new housing units would constitute an additional obstacle to the two-State Solution," it added.

The statement said the Israeli settlements are in "clear violation of international law and stand in the way of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace between Israelis and Palestinians."

"This decision, as well as demolitions and evictions affecting the Palestinian populations in East-Jerusalem and Area C, directly threaten the viability of a future Palestinian state," it added.

The EU nations also urged Israel "not to proceed with any planned demolitions or evictions, especially in Masafer Yatta."

The statement came after the EU on Thursday condemned Israel's recent approval of plans to expand illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

"The European Union condemns and deeply deplores today's approval, by Israeli authorities, of plans for advancing over 4,400 housing units, further expanding illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement.

Earlier Friday, Turkey also condemned the plans to expand illegal Israeli settlements.

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is seen as occupied territory under international law, thus making all Jewish settlements there illegal.

Like Turkey and much of the international community, the EU does not recognize Israel's sovereignty over the territories it has occupied since 1967.

Since 2001, the EU has repeatedly called on Israel to end all settlement activity and to dismantle the existing settlements.