Several European nations expressed "grave concern" Saturday over the recent outbreak of violence in Judea and Samaria.
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In a joint statement, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain condemned attacks against both Israelis and Palestinians. Tensions escalated last week after two Israelis – brothers Hallel and Yagel Yaniv – were shot by a terrorist while passing through the Palestinian village of Hawara.
That night, a few dozen Jewish rioters set fire to Palestinian property in the village and engaged in clashes with locals, leaving one Palestinian dead. "These acts can lead nowhere, except to more violence," the European nations said. "Those responsible must face full accountability and legal prosecution. All unilateral actions that threaten peace and incitement to violence must cease."
They urged both sides to work toward a lasting peace based on the two-state solution and called on the Israeli government to reverse a recent decision to construct over 7,000 new housing units and legalize other settlements in Judea and Samaria.
The plans, however, were approved by the government in response to Palestinian terrorism in the first place, in particular, the Feb. 10 shooting attack outside a synagogue in Jerusalem in which seven Israelis were killed.
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