PRAGUE, Czech Republic

Denmark on Saturday called on Israel to reverse its approval of new housing units in settlements in the occupied West Bank.

"Denmark shared the European Union's call on Israel to reverse its latest approval of over 3000 new housing units in settlements in the occupied West Bank," Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said in a Danish Foreign Ministry post on X.

Copenhagen reiterated that the new settlements are illegal under international law, and called the expansion "a significant obstacle for peace."

In an earlier posting, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell "condemned" the approval of over 3,426 housing units, further expanding illegal settlements across the West Bank.

"We urge Israel to reverse this decision," he said.

Estimates indicate that about 700,000 Israeli settlers are living in 164 settlements and 116 outposts in the occupied West Bank.

Under international law, all Jewish settlements in the occupied territories are considered illegal.

International observers have said Israeli settlements are designed to preempt any attempt to form a geographically contiguous Palestinian state including the now-occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.