The European Union is concerned about the ongoing Israeli settlement: these outposts have become a source of settler violence.

The European Union expressed concern at the announcement by the Israeli authorities of plans to establish several new outposts in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, noting that “there are 150 illegal outposts in the West Bank” and considered that “these outposts often contribute to the creation or expansion of Israeli settlements and have become a potential a direct source of increased settler violence against Palestinians.

In a statement, the European Union believes that “these settlements and outposts are illegal under international law and constitute a serious obstacle to achieving a two-state solution.”

In this regard, a Palestinian report released today showed that “the number of Israeli settlers in the West Bank has reached one million amid the continued expansion of existing settlements.”

And the ARIJ Institute for Applied Research stated in a report that “existing settlements cover an area of ​​201 square kilometers (6.3 percent of the total area of ​​the West Bank) and are inhabited by almost a million Israeli settlers,” noting that “Israeli settlers living in these settlements, received great privileges” and many opportunities to support their presence in these occupied territories.”

In its report, the institute said that “the occupying authorities have published three new settlement plans in different places in the West Bank, according to which an area of ​​733.6 dunams of Palestinian land will be seized,” stressing that “this step is being taken in light of the total disregard for Israeli formation of international laws and norms. And UN Security Council resolutions, in addition to agreements signed between Palestinians and Israelis to stop building settlements.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry, in a number of statements, denounced the “impunity of the occupation from accountability and punishment”, explaining that it “coexists with a ceiling of low international reaction, especially regarding settlements, criticizing the lack of international will to implement the relevant United Nations resolutions that led to the occupation encourage it to continue to undermine the possibility of a negotiated settlement of the conflict by peaceful political means.