Yesterday, representatives of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom made a joint visit to the Palestinian communities in the northern Jordan Valley in light of the alarming increase in settler violence and forced displacement. Ireland supports this statement.

During the visit, the diplomats witnessed first-hand the painful impact of settler violence on Palestinian communities, including the recent displacement of some families in the Al-Sukhun community following a series of attacks by Israeli settlement outposts and their destruction of a number of properties in Al-Jiftlik, near the city of Jericho. The delegation also condemned the Israeli authorities, which confiscated about 800 hectares of land from the village of Aqraba and declared it state land, which exacerbated the bad conditions facing these communities.

The delegation expressed its deep concern about the escalation of settler violence, which has led to the displacement of many citizens and the injury of others throughout the West Bank, including the Jordan Valley.

While diplomats acknowledged some of the measures recently announced by the Israeli authorities, they stressed the need for effective implementation and taking more stringent measures to hold settlers perpetrators of violence accountable in order to reduce violence and its impact on Palestinians. The diplomats also called on Israel to respect all of its obligations under Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, including the prohibition of forced transfer, and reiterated their opposition to illegal settlements, which fuel violence and impede the two-state solution.

The diplomats reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the rights of Palestinians and assisting marginalized groups of the population in Area C. The diplomats stress the need for Israel, as the occupying power, to ensure the safety of all Palestinian communities living in Area C. Emphasizing the need to reach a peaceful solution to the conflict and protect the lives of civilians on all sides.