In its conclusions on the Middle East Peace Process adopted on 18 January 2016(1), the Council having recalled that settlements are illegal under international law, constitute an obstacle to peace and threaten to make a two-state solution impossible, the EU reiterated its strong opposition to Israel's settlement policy and actions taken in this context. In these FAC conclusions, the EU urged Israel to end all settlement activity and to dismantle the outposts erected since March 2001, in line with prior obligations.

The EU raises matters pertaining to settlements with the Israeli authorities on a regular basis, most recently at the EU-Israel Sub-Committee on Political Dialogue and Cooperation, held in Jerusalem on 5 April 2016.

In its conclusions of 20 June 2016(2), the Council welcomed the Joint Communiqué on the Middle East peace initiative adopted at the Ministerial meeting in Paris on 3 June 2016, and called on both parties to the conflict to demonstrate, through policies and actions, a genuine commitment to a peaceful solution in order to rebuild mutual trust and create conditions for direct and meaningful negotiations aiming at ending the occupation that began in 1967, and resolving all permanent status issues.

(1)5328/16.
(2)10348/16.