France condemns the growing violence committed by extremist settlers against the Palestinian population throughout the West Bank, especially in Masafer Yatta and Susya. The Israeli authorities must punish the perpetrators of this violence, which continues with complete impunity, and must protect Palestinian civilians. In particular, France condemns the attack against filmmaker Hamdan Ballal, co-director of the film No Other Land, which was awarded the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs’ Anna Politkovskaya-Arman Soldin Prize for Courage in Journalism.
France reiterates its condemnation of settlement activity, which is contrary to international law, as the International Court of Justice recalled in its July 19th Advisory Opinion. The Court has adopted sanctions against the extremist settlers guilty of committing violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank.