Jean Asselborn, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs;

Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn, has responded to comments made yesterday by US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, concerning Israeli settelments in the West Bank.

Following Mike Pompeo's announcement that the US does not consider the establishment of Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be "inherently inconsistent" with international law, Foreign and European Affairs Minister Jean Asselborn has issued the following statement:

"The United Nations Security Council, in its resolution 2334 (2016), has clearly condemned all measures aimed at changing the demographic composition, character and status of the Occupied Palestinian Territory since 1967, including East Jerusalem, including the construction and expansion of settlements. The Security Council further reaffirmed that "Israel's establishment of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no foundation in law and constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and an obstacle to the achievement of the two-State solution and the establishment of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace".

International law is not an à la carte menu. The announcement made yesterday is very worrying. It leads to a weakening of international law and undermines the prospect of lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. As the Security Council has pointed out, it is essential that Israel put an end to all its settlement activities in order to preserve the two-state solution".