Irish FM: Israel’s West Bank Settlement Legislation Violates Int'l Law

Irish Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan urged the Israeli government not to implement the the Regulation Law that retroactively legalizes almost 4,000 Israeli homes in the West Bank and reiterated Ireland's commitment to a two-state solution that benefits both Israelis and Palestinians.

BELFAST (Sputnik) — An Israeli law that legalizes thousands of settlements in the West Bank is contrary to international law and will damage the peace process, Irish Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan said in a statement Tuesday.

On Monday, the Israeli parliament approved the Regulation Law that retroactively legalizes almost 4,000 Israeli homes in the West Bank.

"This represents a further serious setback for the Middle East Peace Process," Flanagan stated. "It has been widely criticised both internationally and by many in Israel. It is a deepening of the settlements and a flagrant violation of international law."

Flanagan urged the Israeli government not to implement the law and reiterated Ireland's commitment to a two-state solution that benefits both Israelis and Palestinians.

In 2014, the Irish parliament unanimously passed a motion officially recognizing Palestine as a state, but the government has not acted on the motion.

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.