The UN coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, has deplored the latest move by Israeli cabinet to legalize five settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank condemning the regime’s settlement expansion as flagrant violation of international law.

Wennesland wrote on his X account,” The recent announcement by a Cabinet Minister of the Israeli Security Cabinet’s decision to legalize under Israeli law five settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank is deeply concerning.”
 
He added,” Such actions, alongside other steps that undermine the PA & entrench settlement advancement in WB, exacerbate tensions & diminish viability of achieving a negotiated peace on the basis of a 2-State solution.”

He further stressed that settlements are a flagrant violation of international law and UN resolutions.

The European Union has also issued a statement to condemn the announcement by Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich that five outposts are to be legalized in the occupied Palestinian territory. This is another deliberate attempt at undermining peace efforts.

The EU urged Israel to reverse these decisions.

The Israeli Cabinet on Thursday evening approved steps proposed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich aimed at "legalizing" settlement outposts in the West Bank, issuance of tenders for thousands of new housing units in settlements and imposing sanctions on the Palestinian Authority.