UK, Canada, and European Allies Condemn Israel’s New West Bank Settlement Expansion

London, MINA – A coalition of nations, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and multiple European countries, issued a joint statement on Wednesday formally condemning the Israeli security cabinet’s recent approval of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The statement, endorsed by Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Germany, declares a united stance against the move.

The signatories asserted that such unilateral actions, as part of a broader intensification of settlement policies, “not only violate international law but also risk fueling instability.” They warned that the expansion jeopardizes efforts to advance to the second phase of the Comprehensive Plan for Gaza and undermines prospects for long-term peace and security in the region.

Reiterating their “clear opposition to any form of annexation and to the expansion of settlement policies,” the coalition explicitly referenced opposition to the controversial E1 settlement plan and the approval of thousands of new housing units.

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The statement concluded with a direct call for Israel, as the occupying power, to “reverse this decision, as well as the expansion of settlements, in line with UNSC Resolution 2334,” which demands a halt to all settlement activity.

The coordinated international rebuke highlights growing diplomatic pressure on Israel regarding its settlement policy, which is widely viewed as a major obstacle to a future two-state solution.[]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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