Germany condemns Israel’s approval of new West Bank housing units

(MENAFN) Germany has sharply criticized Israel’s recent decision to authorize the construction of hundreds of additional housing units in the occupied West Bank, according to official statements released Saturday.

Government representatives expressed alarm over the approval of more than 750 new settlement homes, warning that the pace of construction has reached unprecedented levels. A foreign ministry spokesperson emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating: “The German government categorically rejects this approach. Over the course of 2025, almost 30,000 new settlement units were approved, which is a new high and therefore a cause for great concern.”

The spokesperson further argued that continued settlement expansion runs counter to international norms and undermines diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the conflict. “Settlement construction not only violates international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, but also hinders a negotiated two-state solution and an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, as demanded by the ICJ (International Court of Justice),” he added.

The two-state framework envisions an independent Palestinian state living alongside Israel, an outcome consistently rejected by Israel’s current leadership.

German officials urged Israeli authorities to reverse course immediately. The spokesperson called on the government “to immediately halt settlement construction and strictly rejects both formal annexation and de facto annexation brought about by settlement expansion and other measures.”

He also reaffirmed Berlin’s long-standing position on borders, saying: “The German government will only recognize changes to the borders of June 4, 1967, if they have been agreed upon by the parties to the conflict.”

Earlier in the week, Israeli authorities approved plans for 764 new housing units across three West Bank settlements, prompting Palestinian officials to warn that the move was intended to inflame tensions. Shortly afterward, Israel’s cabinet moved forward with steps to legalize 19 settlement outposts that had previously been built without formal authorization.

Settlement growth has accelerated under Israel’s right-wing religious coalition, expanding both in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel took control of these territories in 1967, and they are now home to more than 700,000 Israeli settlers living among roughly 3 million Palestinians.

Palestinians view these areas as the core of their future state. Germany, aligning with international legal interpretations, continues to describe the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza as occupied territories and rejects any unilateral border changes made without mutual agreement.

In a significant legal opinion issued last July, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land is unlawful and called for the removal of all settlements from the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

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