Brasilia - (AFP) - Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Mexico on Friday denounced Israel's decision to legalize settlements in the occupied West Bank , following a series of attacks on East Jerusalem.

A statement issued by the Brazilian Foreign Ministry and signed by the four countries expressed its "grave concern" over Israel's announcement last Sunday that it would legitimize nine settlement outposts in the West Bank and give the green light to build 10,000 settlement units there.
"These unilateral measures constitute serious violations of international law and UN Security Council resolutions," the statement added.

Most Western powers consider Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 illegal and in violation of international law.

About 475,000 Israeli settlers live in outposts not recognized by international law in the West Bank, among more than 2.9 million Palestinians.

The return of left-wing Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to the presidency on January 1 ended a four-year period of Brazilian alignment with Israel under his far-right predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro , who even raised the issue of moving the Brazilian embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The governments of the four countries called on both sides to "refrain from actions and provocations that might lead to a new escalation of violence" in the region, and urged negotiations for a "peaceful solution" to the conflict.