Settlement Violence and Acceleration of Construction Projects Reach New Heights

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that any plans for the annexation of the West Bank by Israel will be considered a 'red line' and will prompt a response from European countries. This was reported by Al Arabia.

“Partial or complete annexation plans, whether legal or de facto, are a red line, and we will respond firmly with our European partners,” Macron stated during a joint press conference in Paris with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

“Settlement violence and the acceleration of construction projects are reaching new heights, threatening the stability of the West Bank and constituting violations of international law,” added the French president.

The wave of violence in the West Bank has sharply increased since the onset of the war in the Gaza Strip in October 2023. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Israeli forces or settlers have killed at least 1,002 Palestinians in the West Bank since that period.

During the same timeframe, according to Israeli official data, 43 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed as a result of attacks by Palestinians in the West Bank.