The consulates-general of Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom, and the representative offices of Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland and the EU in the West Bank and Gaza called on Israel, on 26 May, “to halt all confiscations and demolitions and to give unimpeded access to humanitarian organisations” in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
According to them, the total value of donor-funded items that have been demolished, dismantled or confiscated since 2015 is estimated at €1.291 million.
In their joint statement, the missions strongly condemned the recent demolition of the donor-funded school in Jubbet Adh Dhib and expressed grave concern about the threatened demolition of another 57 schools in the West Bank (see EUROPE 13177/16).
They also stressed their concern about the planned forcible transfer of more than 1,100 affected Palestinians currently residing in Masafer Yatta, the imminent demolition of Khan al-Ahmar and the pending forced transfer of the 48 Palestinian families living there. The Europeans recalled that forcible transfers were prohibited under international humanitarian law.
The missions also condemned settler violence “in the strongest terms”, underlining Israel’s “failure” to protect Palestinians and prosecute violent settlers. They also underlined their concern about continued and “dangerous statements which can incite further violence” and stressed that partners on the ground consider that the expansion of settlements has resulted in increased settler violence.
The missions also condemned the “killings” of Palestinians and Israelis, highlighting the record number of people killed this year in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
To see the statement: https://aeur.eu/f/743 (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)