European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Saturday that continued Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank is 'unacceptable' and the violence used to promote it is 'abhorrent,' warning that it undermines the two-state solution and that the situation is 'clearly deteriorating.' The remarks were reported by journalist Asaf Rozentzweig (N12).
Earlier tonight (00:02), The Zioneer reported a broader version of von der Leyen's remarks, which also included mention of a pending proposal to suspend trade provisions under the EU-Israel Association Agreement and a proposal by several states to sanction Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, without consensus. The current report, from N12's Asaf Rozentzweig, focuses on the Commission President's strongest language to date regarding the settlement issue. The statement comes amid ongoing European diplomatic pressure on Israel over settlement policy, with France's President Macron having made similar remarks in recent days and the UN Secretary-General calling for a halt to attacks.
3 developments
- DevelopingEuropean Union accuses Israel of promoting settlement expansion through 'abhorrent violence'
- DevelopingEU chief von der Leyen welcomes Israel-Lebanon agreement, links peace to Lebanon stability
- DevelopingMacron: Settlement expansion in the West Bank must stop
- ConfirmedFrench official: settler violence in West Bank has crossed a line
Source and signal
- Internal intake