The Spanish Government has "strongly" condemned the new construction project of a settlement promoted by Israel in the West Bank and has reminded the Executive of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that settlements "are contrary to International Law," demanding that he reverse this decision.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Executive emphasizes that it "strongly condemns the decision of the Government of Israel to publish the tender to build more than 1,200 settlement homes in the E1 area, which breaks the territorial continuity of Palestine and separates East Jerusalem from the West Bank."
In the same vein, the Government underscores that "all Israeli settlements in occupied territory are contrary to international law, hinder the implementation of the two-State solution, and constitute an obstacle to peace."
Therefore, the Spanish Executive urgently urges the Israeli Government to "reverse this decision that violates International Law and to comply with its international obligations," and, at the same time, calls on the international community to "assume its responsibilities to advance the implementation of the two-State solution, the only one that will allow progress towards a just and lasting peace in the region," according to Spain's position.
With this stance, Spain joins the criticisms made in recent days by various countries, including those expressed in the joint statement issued this Thursday by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, and Norway, in which they describe Netanyahu's latest project as "unacceptable" and emphasize that Israeli settlements in the West Bank "are illegal."
In that text, the signatory countries warn that these settlements "will not only take us further away from peace but will also further undermine Israel's international reputation," and also warn that the plan threatens the "two-State solution by opening a gap in the West Bank and harming the territorial contiguity of the Palestinian territories."