Israel/ Palestinian Territories – Construction of housing units in East Jerusalem (8 December 2023)

France strongly condemns the Israeli authorities’ decision announced on December 6 to authorize the construction of 1,800 new housing units in settlements in East Jerusalem. Settlement activity is illegal under international law.

By approving the new settlement construction projects, the Israeli government is compromising the possibility of a viable, contiguous Palestinian State and is jeopardizing the prospect for a two-state solution, which is the only way to satisfy both Israel’s security needs and the Palestinian people’s legitimate aspirations for a state of their own. We call on the Israeli authorities to reverse this decision.