PARIS (Sputnik) – The law, adopted Monday by the Israeli Parliament, which retroactively legalizes almost 4,000 Israeli settlements in the West Bank, could lead to a “de-facto annexation” of the Palestinian territories, French President Francois Hollande said Tuesday.
“I want to think that Israel and its government will find an opportunity to reconsider the law … Israel's expediting colonization of the Palestinian territories due to the adoption of the law will lead to a de-facto annexation of these territories,” Hollande told reporters after a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Paris.
On Monday, the so-called Regulation Law was approved 60 to 52 despite the December UN Security Council resolution calling on Israel to immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the area.
4 February 2017, 14:41 GMT
Over 500,000 Jewish settlers live in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, according to United Nations figures. The settlements are considered illegal by the United Nations, and West Bank territory is considered occupied territory by the International Court of Justice. The West Bank has been occupied by Israel since 1967.
The adoption of the law caused international opposition, exacerbating the already tense relations between Israel and Palestine. The Palestinians are calling for international sanctions against Israel.
