On Thursday, the European Union condemned the Israeli government's decision to approve the construction of about 3,500 new colonial units in the West Bank, and urged it to retract it.

The union said in a statement that it condemns "yesterday's approval by the Israeli Supreme Planning Committee of plans to build more than 3,426 housing units, which further expands illegal settlements throughout the occupied West Bank."

The statement added: “The European Union urges Israel to reverse these decisions, and reaffirms that the settlements are illegal, under international law, and constitute an obstacle to peace, because they threaten the two-state solution.”

It continued: "Moreover, the expansion of settlements is completely inconsistent with ongoing efforts to reduce tension, which is increasingly important with the approach of religious occasions such as Ramadan, Easter and Resurrection."

The statement affirmed the European Union's position, stating that it "will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including those related to Jerusalem, except for those agreed upon by the two parties."