France condemns Israeli conference on Gaza settlements

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - France condemned Israel for promoting settlement construction in the Gaza Strip and the transfer of Gaza's Palestinian population out of the enclave.

A statement issued Monday by the French government included a pointed reminder of the recent ruling by the International Court of Justice, which underscored Israel's obligation to prevent and punish such inflammatory rhetoric.

"It is waiting for the Israeli authorities to clearly denounce these positions," said the statement.

"It is not up to the Israeli Government to decide where Palestinians should live on their land. The future of the Gaza Strip and of its inhabitants falls within the framework of a unified Palestinian State living in peace and security alongside Israel," it added.

Israeli settlers held a conference Sunday about the resettlement of the Gaza Strip and the construction of more settlements in the occupied West Bank. Participants called for the building of new Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories in response to the Oct. 7 attack by Gaza-based resistance group Hamas.

Several members of Israel's government attended the conference.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas last October.

The onslaught has killed more than 26,000 people, mostly women and children, displaced 85% of the blockaded enclave's population, and created conditions for famine. Israel says 1,200 people were killed in the initial Hamas attack.

The International Court of Justice, in its interim ruling in the genocide case filed by South Africa, ordered Israel to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza and enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians.

Tel Aviv also has to submit a report to the ICJ on all measures taken to give effect to this order within one month.