France 'firmly condemns' Israeli decision to expand settlements in occupied Palestinian territories

The French Foreign Ministry Monday firmly condemned Israel's recent decision to expand settlements in occupied Palestinian territories.

The ministry particularly condemned, in an official statement, "the official recognition of five new settlements and the approval of plans to build 5,000 extra residential units in several settlements in the West Bank, as well as the seizure of 1,200 hectares (2,965 acres)" in the Jordan Valley.

The Israeli government's decisions are "of a deep gravity due to their scales and their consequences on peace and stability in the West Bank and the region," the ministry added.

It recalled that Israeli authorities approved the plans to build 20,000 residential units and the seizure of 2,300 hectares of land in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 2023, which are "unprecedented" figures since the Oslo Accords.

"The Israeli colonization of the Palestinian Territories including East Jerusalem is a violation of international law," the ministry emphasized, adding that it is also a "major obstacle" to just and durable peace.