Statement by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini on the ‘Regularisation Law’ adopted by the Israeli Knesset

On the 8 February 2017, the European Union condemned the recent adoption of the 'Regularisation Law' by the Israeli Knesset on 6 February. For the European Union, this law crossed a new and dangerous threshold by legalising under Israeli law the seizure of Palestinian property rights and effectively authorising the confiscation of privately owned Palestinian land in occupied territory.

The EU, also in line with recently adopted UN Security Council resolution 2334, considers Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory to be illegal under international law and condemns the recent settlement announcements. As identified in the recommendations of the report by the Middle East Quartet, such settlements constitute an obstacle to peace and threaten the viability of a two-state solution. Consequently, The EU urged the Israeli leadership to refrain from implementing the law and to avoid measures that further raise tensions and endanger the prospects for a peaceful solution to the conflict

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Statement by the HRVP Federica Mogherini on the most recent announcement of 3,000 new settlements in the West Bank http://www.europeansources.info/record/statement-by-the-hrvp-federica-mogherini-on-the-most-recent-announcement-of-3000-new-settlements-in-the-west-bank/

EU: EEAS: Topics: Middle East Peace Process https://eeas.europa.eu/topics/middle-east-peace-process_en

EU: EEAS: Israel and the European Union https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/1337/israel-and-eu_en

ESO: Background information: Statement on the Israeli announcement to build 2.500 settlement units http://www.europeansources.info/record/statement-on-the-israeli-announcement-to-build-2-500-settlement-units/

ESO: Background information: After the UN, the EU must lead the way on Israeli settlements http://www.europeansources.info/record/after-the-un-the-eu-must-lead-the-way-on-israeli-settlements/

ESO: Background information: Conference for peace in the Middle East, Paris, 15 January 2017 http://www.europeansources.info/record/conference-for-peace-in-the-middle-east-paris-15-january-2017/

The Economist, 07.02.17: A land-grab in the West BankIsrael’s parliament passes a controversial 'regulation' bill on settlements http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21716563-high-court-may-yet-strike-it-down-israels-parliament-passes-controversial

BBC News, 07.02.17: Israel passes controversial law on West Bank settlements http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-38888649

Deutsche Welle, 07.02.17: Palestinians decry Israeli law which 'legalizes theft' of their land http://dw.com/p/2X4w8

EUObserver, 09.02.17: Germany leads EU rebuke on Israeli land snatch https://euobserver.com/foreign/136846

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