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Several countries, including Britain, Canada, Germany, and a number of European and Asian nations, have strongly condemned Israel’s recent decision to approve 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, warning that the move violates international law and could further destabilize the region. The decision was approved by Israel’s security cabinet and has drawn swift international criticism amid already heightened tensions in the Middle East.
In a joint statement released on Wednesday, governments from Britain, Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain called on Israel to reverse the decision and halt the continued expansion of settlements. The countries emphasized that unilateral settlement actions undermine international law and risk inflaming instability in the West Bank, complicating efforts toward peace and security.
The statement stressed that the approval of new settlements is part of a broader intensification of Israeli settlement policies in the occupied territory. According to the signatories, such measures not only breach established international legal frameworks but also threaten regional stability by exacerbating tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. Many of these countries have long maintained that settlement expansion poses a serious obstacle to a two-state solution and lasting peace.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar rejected the criticism in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, defending the government’s decision as a necessary response to security challenges. Saar argued that the move was intended to address threats facing Israel and dismissed foreign objections as unjustified interference. He stated that foreign governments should not seek to limit the right of Jews to live in what he described as the Land of Israel, calling such demands morally wrong and discriminatory.
The approval of new West Bank settlements remains one of the most contentious issues in Israeli-Palestinian relations. As international pressure mounts, the decision is likely to fuel further diplomatic debate over international law, regional security, and the future of peace efforts in the Middle East.
