Germany opposes US stance on Israeli settlements

BERLIN (AA) - Germany on Tuesday opposed the U.S. announcement that it no longer considered Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories illegal.

German Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said in a statement that her government has not changed its position regarding the Israeli settlements in the occupied territories.

“The Federal Government views settlement-building activity as a violation of international law, which hampers prospects of a peace process and makes a negotiated two-state solution much more difficult,” the statement said.

Berlin pledged to continue its efforts, together with other EU partners, to find a mutually acceptable, negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which would address the legitimate concerns of both sides.

On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that Israeli settlements in the West Bank will no longer be viewed as illegal “per se.”

Roughly 650,000 Israeli Jews currently live on more than 100 settlements built since 1967, when Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The Palestinians want these territories along with the Gaza Strip for the establishment of a future Palestinian state.

International law views both the West Bank and East Jerusalem as occupied territories and considers all Jewish settlement-building activity there illegal.