Ireland has joined a significant international coalition in formally condemning Israel's approval of new settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Joint Diplomatic Statement Issued
On Wednesday 24 December 2025, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Helen McEntee, co-signed a powerful joint statement with thirteen other nations. The statement, issued in the evening, directly criticises the recent actions of the Israeli security cabinet.
The ministers declared that the move to back 19 new settlements not only "violates international law" but also carries the serious risk of "fuelling instability" across the region.
Broad International Coalition
The condemnation represents a wide-ranging diplomatic front. Alongside Ireland and the United Kingdom, the signatories include a number of European Union member states and other major global players.
The full list of co-signing countries is:
- Belgium
- Canada
- Denmark
- France
- Germany
- Iceland
- Italy
- Japan
- Malta
- The Netherlands
- Norway
- Spain
- The United Kingdom
Risks to Regional Peace Efforts
The joint text frames Israel's decision as part of a "wider intensification" of settlement policies. The governments warn that this escalation poses a direct threat to broader diplomatic efforts.
They state that the new settlements risk "undermining" the current Gaza peace plan and jeopardising the prospects for "long-term peace and security across the region."
In a clear demand, the coalition calls on Israel to "reverse this decision, as well as the expansion of settlements." The statement concludes with a firm declaration of support for "Palestinians' right of self-determination."
This coordinated diplomatic move highlights growing international concern that settlement expansion could critically damage fragile peace negotiations and regional stability.
