Fourteen countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada and Germany, have jointly condemned Israel's approval of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, warning that the move violates international law and risks fuelling instability.
The Israeli security cabinet gave the green light last Sunday, according to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, bringing the total number of newly authorised settlements to 69 in recent weeks. A statement issued by Britain and signed by a dozen other nations called on Israel to reverse its decision and halt further expansion.
Signatories included Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain. The statement said such unilateral actions undermine prospects for long-term peace and could jeopardise the implementation of the plan for Gaza, while also recalling opposition to any form of annexation and referencing UN Security Council resolution 2334.
The latest approvals include two settlements evacuated in 2005, and according to the anti-settlement watchdog Peace Now, the number of settlements in the West Bank has risen from 141 in 2022 to 210 under the current government – an increase of nearly 50%.
The 14 nations reaffirmed their support for a two-state solution, insisting there is no alternative to a negotiated peace. However, Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, rejected the criticism, saying the decision was aimed at addressing security threats. In a post on X, he said foreign governments would not restrict the right of Jews to live in the Land of Israel, describing such calls as morally wrong and discriminatory.
