LONDON, UK– Six European countries on Saturday called on Israel to stop expanding its settlements in Palestine’s West Bank.
Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland have also jointly condemned the recent attack on Israeli citizens by Palestinian groups.
In a joint statement, they said, “We urge the Israeli government to reverse its recent decision to advance the construction of over 7,000 settlement building units across the occupied West Bank and to legalize settlement outposts.”
On Friday, the European Union’s envoy to the Palestinians called for accountability.
He also asked for action and punishment after Israeli settlers went on a rampage.
Israeli troops shot dead a 15-year-old Palestinian and critically wounded another child in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, the Palestinian health ministry said, with the army reporting they came under attack.
Violence flared in the northern West Bank town of Azzun when troops arrived to search suspects after fireworks were launched at Israeli vehicles driving past, the army said.
Late on Sunday, the Palestinian town of Huwara came under attack by Israeli settlers, hours after two settlers were shot dead as they drove through the northern West Bank town.
Hundreds of settlers set homes and cars ablaze and hurled stones in Huwara overnight, and a Palestinian man was killed in the nearby village of Zaatara.
On Monday, gunmen shot dead an Israeli-American motorist, and on Wednesday Israeli forces searching for suspects in the Aqabat Jabr refugee camp near Jericho killed a Palestinian man.
(With agency inputs)
