20 Nov 2019; MEMO: The European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said on Monday that the EU’s position on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank remains “unchanged” adding that the settlements are “illegal” under international law.
“The European Union’s position on Israeli settlement policy in the occupied Palestinian territory is clear and remains unchanged: all settlement activity is illegal under international law and it erodes the viability of the two-state solution and the prospects for a lasting peace, as reaffirmed by UN Security Council Resolution 2334,” Mogherini said in a statement.
This came after the US announced that Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land are not illegal.
“Calling the establishment of civilian settlements inconsistent with international law has not advanced the cause of peace. The hard truth is that there will never be a judicial resolution to the conflict, and arguments about who is right and who is wrong as a matter of international law will not bring peace,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.
In her statement, Mogherini said the EU calls on Israel to end all settlement activity “in line with its obligations as an occupying power”.
She added that “the EU will continue to support a resumption of a meaningful process towards a negotiated two-state solution, the only realistic and viable way to fulfil the legitimate aspirations of both parties.”
Under international law, Jewish settlements constructed in the Occupied Palestinian Territories constitute a violation of international law and are considered illegal.
