US, UK, Germany slam Israel’s West Bank land appropriation

The US, UK and German governments criticized Israel’s land appropriation this week of 580 acres near the West Bank town of Jericho.

US State Department spokesman John Kirby was asked about the conversion during a briefing Tuesday afternoon with reporters and said the United States was “concerned,” noting it was a “significant increase” over two conversions in 2014: nearly 1,000 acres near Bethlehem in the Gush Etzion bloc and another 250 acres in the same area.

“This decision is, in our view, the latest step in what appears to be an ongoing process of land expropriations, settlement expansions and legalizations of outposts that is fundamentally undermining the prospects for a two-state solution,” Kirby said.

“As we have said before, we strongly oppose any steps that accelerate settlement expansion, which raise serious questions about Israel’s long-term intentions. And as we’ve repeatedly made clear, we continue to look to both sides to demonstrate with actions and policies a genuine commitment to a two-state solution. Actions such as these do just the opposite.”

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon approved the designation of 580 acres as Israeli state land, according to Army Radio.

A spokeswoman for Germany’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday Berlin fears the expropriated land will be used to expand Israeli settlements and make it harder to forge a peace deal with the Palestinians.

Sawsan Chebli said that “the German government regrets this decision and hopes that it will be reversed.”

Chebli said the Israeli decision “sends a wrong signal at the wrong time.”

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The UK’s Foreign Office also released a statement on Wednesday, saying the Israeli move damages peace prospects with the Palestinians.

“We condemn the Israeli government’s decision to take over 585 acres of land in the West Bank as ‘state land’. Such steps clearly damage the diminishing prospects for a two state solution. The UK and our international partners have consistently called for an end to settlement expansion, which is illegal under international law and an obstacle to peace,” it said.

“If the Israeli government is truly committed to a two-state solution then it will reverse its decision,” it added.

The move comes amid heightened tensions with the European Union, which earlier this week said in a declaration that its agreements with Israel didn’t extend over the Green Line, angering Jerusalem.

The declaration was signed March 10 by the head of the IDF Civil Administration during a visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority by US Vice President Joe Biden.

The land, now empty desert, runs on both sides of the major North-South highway Route 1 as it nears the Dead Sea. Some of the land is located inside the Jewish settlement of Almog, which has a plan to build 358 housing units there, according to Peace Now. There is a 45-day appeals process.

Israel has previously used an 1858 Ottoman law stating that land which lies fallow for several years could revert to government property as the legal basis for such moves.

The Israeli NGO Peace Now slammed the declaration in a statement Tuesday.

“This declaration is a de facto confiscation of Palestinian lands for the purpose of settlement,” the group said. “Instead of trying to calm the situation, the government is adding fuel to the fire and sending a clear message to Palestinians, as well as to Israelis, that it has no intention to work towards peace and two states. Netanyahu proves yet again that settler pressure is more important to him than the deteriorating security situation.”