ISTANBUL

France on Tuesday called Israeli settlers' violence "acts of terrorism" after a Palestinian activist who collaborated on an Oscar-winning documentary was killed.

"These acts of violence are acts of terrorism. Settlers have killed more than 30 people since the beginning of 2022. The Israeli authorities must take responsibility, immediately prosecute the perpetrators of these acts which continue with total impunity and protect Palestinian civilians," France’s Foreign Ministry wrote in a statement.

The statement expressed France's "immense sadness" over the killing of Palestinian activist Odeh Hathalin, a collaborator in the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, which documents the struggle of Palestinians against Israel’s policies of demolition and displacement in the southern West Bank.

"France strongly condemns this murder, as well as all deliberate acts of violence committed by extremist settlers against the Palestinian population, which have been multiplying across the West Bank in recent weeks, notably in Kafr Malik and in the Christian village of Taybeh," the statement noted.

It further reiterated France's "total condemnation" of settlement activity, pointing out that this activity is "illegal under international law."

"France will continue to support the adoption of further measures within the European Union and stands ready to take additional national action, including against members of the Israeli government who support such violence, should it continue," the statement added.