The UK has joined 13 other countries in condemning Israel’s decision to approve 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, warning that the move breaches international law and risks escalating instability in the region.
In a joint statement, Britain and its partners said the Israeli security cabinet’s approval of new settlements represented a unilateral action that undermines international legal norms and threatens prospects for peace, particularly at a time of heightened regional tensions linked to the war in Gaza.
UK-led diplomatic warning
The statement was issued by the UK alongside Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain. The countries urged Israel to reverse the latest settlement approvals and halt further expansion in the West Bank.
They said the decision risks inflaming tensions on the ground and could complicate international efforts aimed at stabilising Gaza and reviving a political process towards peace.
Israel expands settlement approvals
Israel’s security cabinet approved the new settlements last Sunday. Far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said the decision brings the total number of settlements approved in recent months to 69.
Two of the newly authorised settlements are located in areas that were dismantled during Israel’s 2005 disengagement, marking a reversal of earlier policy commitments.
According to the Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now, the number of recognised settlements in the West Bank has surged under the current Israeli government, rising from 141 in 2022 to 210 following the latest approvals.
International law concerns
The joint statement said the expansion of settlements runs directly counter to international law and violates UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which calls on Israel to cease all settlement activity in occupied Palestinian territory.
The countries reiterated their opposition to any form of annexation, including large-scale settlement projects such as the E1 corridor and the approval of thousands of additional housing units.
They warned that accelerating settlement construction could undermine future diplomatic initiatives and derail efforts to secure a sustainable ceasefire and humanitarian access in Gaza.
UK position on two-state solution
Britain and its partners reaffirmed their support for the Palestinian right to self-determination and said they remain committed to a negotiated two-state solution as the only viable path to lasting peace.
The statement said Israel and a future Palestinian state must be able to exist side by side within secure and internationally recognised borders, stressing that settlement expansion makes this outcome increasingly difficult to achieve.
Israeli response
Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, rejected the criticism, saying the settlement approvals were driven by security considerations and domestic needs.
The Israeli government has repeatedly argued that settlements are necessary for national security, a position that has been consistently challenged by the UK and other international partners.
Growing diplomatic pressure
The criticism comes amid growing international concern over Israel’s actions in the West Bank during the Gaza conflict. Britain has recently stepped up diplomatic engagement in the region, calling for restraint, humanitarian access and renewed political dialogue.
UK officials have repeatedly warned that settlement expansion risks entrenching the conflict and weakening any future peace process.
