Germany’s foreign ministry on Saturday denounced Israel’s approval of a new plan that would see over 750 settler housing units built in the occupied West Bank, amid growing international concern over its violations of international law.
The statement from the foreign ministry urged Israel to immediately halt the illegal construction, writing: "In 2025, nearly 30,000 new units were approved – a new record and a cause for serious concern".
The statement continued: "Settlement construction not only violates international law and UN Security Council resolutions, but also delays the two-state solution and the end of the Israeli occupation. Germany categorically rejects both formal and de facto annexation."
Israel’s chief of planning committee at the Civil Administration earlier this week announced that 764 new housing units for settlers had been approved for construction.
The far-right extremist Israeli finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, applauded the decision, dubbing it a "revolution".
The minister, who is known for his severely anti-Palestinian rhetoric and inflammatory language, also said the plan was "part of a clear strategic move to strengthen the settlements and ensure continuity of life, security and growth".
Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz has previously said that the country opposes any form of annexation of the occupied West Bank, in an address directed at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel has in recent years faced scathing international criticism for its actions in Gaza, where the army has killed over 70,000 Palestinians and devastated the enclave. The war on the besieged Strip has been determined to be a genocide by leading rights groups, including Amnesty International.
In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces have also intensified their crackdown and raids on Palestinian villages since the start of the war, detaining over 10,000 people since October 2023.
Earlier this week, Israel’s security cabinet signed off on a plan to formalise 19 illegal settlements across the West Bank, despite Palestinian officials condemning the move.
Israeli media reported that the plan was "coordinated with the US in advance".
The Palestinian group Hamas and the Palestinian National Council denounced the decision.
Hamas called on the UN and rights groups to confront the "unchecked colonial behaviour," while the Palestinian National Council said it "constitutes a double violation of international law and a blatant breach of international legitimacy".