During the evening of Tuesday 7 February, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini condemned the adoption of the "Regularisation Law" by the Israeli Knesset over the night of 5-6 February, and she called on the Israeli leaders to refrain from implementing this law, which retroactively legalises nearly 4,000 housing units, built illegally on private Palestinian land in the West Bank.
"Should it be implemented, the law would further entrench a one-state reality of unequal rights, perpetual occupation and conflict", Mogherini said in a press release. In her view, "this law crosses 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 law, which provides for "legalising" numerous settlements and outposts "previously considered as illegal even under Israeli law", "would be contrary to previous commitments by Israeli governments and illegal under international law", Mogherini underlined. Furthermore, in passing this new law, the Knesset has legislated on the legal status of land within occupied territory, "which is an issue that remains beyond its jurisdiction", she added.
Mogherini urged the Israeli leaders to avoid measures that could further raise tension and endanger the prospects for a peaceful solution to the conflict. By contrast, the leaders should "reaffirm unequivocally through actions and policy [their] continued commitment to a two-state solution in order to rebuild mutual trust and create conditions for direct and meaningful negotiations", she said.
Although a statement from the 28 EU member states had been planned, it is finally Mogherini who gave a response to this law. According to a European source, while there had been no real blockage during the discussion between the member states on 7 February, the talks were longer than expected and in order to respond to the Israeli situation swiftly, it was finally decided that the EU should express itself through the voice of Mogherini. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)