France Condemns Israel’s Decision to Allow Jewish Settlers to Return to West Bank

Paris, MINA – France condemns the decision of the Israeli occupation authorities to allow Jewish supremacist settlers to return to settlements in the northern West Bank after being evacuated.

“This decision is against international law and also against the commitments that Israel made at the Aqaba and Sharm el-Sheikh meetings. France requests the Government of Israel to cancel this decision,” the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in a statement quoted from Wafa on Tuesday.

The French Foreign Ministry also expressed concern over the second provocative visit by Israel’s Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir to the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, last Sunday.

“France reaffirms the need to maintain the historical status quo over the holy sites in Jerusalem and emphasizes the importance of Jordan’s special role in this regard,” he added.

France calls on all involved to refrain from unilateral actions or provocations that could incite tension and violence, especially against civilians.

The Israeli Parliament (Knesset) on Sunday passed the second and third bills allowing Israeli settlers to resettle in the occupied West Bank after being evacuated.

Previously, the Knesset also annulled a law ordering the evacuation of colonial Homesh, Ganim, Kadim, and Sa-Nur outposts in the occupied territories in 2005.

The outpost evacuation was part of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s unilateral disengagement plan, which saw Israel relocate more than 9,000 settlers in 21 illegal colonial settlements in the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank.

According to Wafa, there are more than 700,000 Jewish settlers living in colonial settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)