Israel Defends Settlement Expansion in West Bank
A coalition of 14 predominantly European nations denounced the Israeli security cabinet’s action earlier this month, arguing that it violates international law and intensifies the ongoing conflict with Palestinians. The settlement dispute has long been a central source of friction and is often described by critics as part of a system that marginalizes Arabs.
“Foreign governments will not restrict the right of Jews to live in the Land of Israel, and any such call is morally wrong and discriminatory against Jews,” read the statement issued Thursday from West Jerusalem.
The ministry referenced the 1917 Balfour Declaration as the foundation for its settlement stance, insisting that the policy aligns with international law. The British document envisioned a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, which the UK administered as a mandate territory following the Ottoman Empire’s defeat in World War I.
On Wednesday, Canada, Japan, the UK, and several members of the European Union, including France and Germany, released a joint declaration voicing “clear opposition to any form of annexation and to the expansion of settlement policies.” They cautioned that Israel’s actions risk undermining the US-backed ceasefire in Gaza.
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