LONDON

The Netherlands voiced concern Tuesday about settler violence in the occupied West Bank and condemned Israel's decision to create 13 new settlements.

"I am concerned about continuing tensions in the West Bank, including an increase of settler violence," Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp wrote on X.

Saying attacks against Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal and others is "yet another example," Veldkamp said he condemned it and urged Israel to prevent and prosecute the violence.

The Netherlands will continue to advocate in the EU to adopt a third sanctions package targeting violent settlers and their organizations, underlined the Dutch foreign minister. "The Netherlands also condemns the decision to recognise 13 illegal outposts as new settlements. This undermines the prospects for a two-state solution," he added.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced Sunday that the Security Cabinet approved a plan to separate and legalize 13 settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, calling it “another important step on the path to actual sovereignty” in Judea and Samaria.

According to Palestinian reports, approximately 770,000 illegal Israeli settlers were living in 180 settlements and 256 outposts across the occupied territory by the end of 2024.

The UN considers all Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories illegal under international law and cautions that their continued expansion jeopardizes efforts toward a two-state solution.

Tensions remain high across the occupied West Bank, where attacks by the Israeli army and illegal settlers have resulted in at least 938 Palestinian deaths and nearly 7,000 injuries since the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip began after the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, infiltrated Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The International Court of Justice ruled last July that Israel's longstanding occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal and demanded the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.