Fourteen governments, including the United Kingdom, issued a joint statement on 24 December 2025 condemning the Israeli security cabinet’s approval of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank. The text states the decision violates international law, risks fuelling instability and could undermine the Comprehensive Plan for Gaza as efforts move to phase two.
Published by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the statement was signed by Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and the UK. The signatories urged Israel to reverse the decision and halt settlement expansion, citing UN Security Council Resolution 2334.
Resolution 2334, adopted on 23 December 2016, reaffirms that settlements in territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, have no legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation of international law. It also calls on Israel to cease settlement activity and on all states to distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between Israel and the territories occupied since 1967.
The joint statement reiterates opposition to any form of annexation and highlights the E1 plan alongside thousands of housing units. UN reporting warns that advancing E1 would effectively sever the northern and southern West Bank, undermining territorial contiguity and increasing the risk of forced displacement.
Israel’s approval of 19 settlements in December followed a period of accelerated settlement activity. According to reporting by the Associated Press, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the move brings the total number of new settlements in recent years to 69, including the re‑establishment of Kadim and Ganim, which were dismantled in 2005.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar rejected the condemnation, characterising the approvals as a security measure and criticising foreign governments for interference, according to Reuters.
For policymakers and companies, the reference to Resolution 2334 is practical as well as declaratory. Paragraph 5 calls on states to distinguish between Israel and the territories occupied since 1967 in their relevant dealings, a formulation that informs trade policy, procurement choices and corporate due diligence.
The signatories reaffirmed support for Palestinians’ right to self‑determination and for a negotiated two‑state outcome with secure and recognised borders, stating there is no alternative to a negotiated settlement and urging progress towards the next phase of the Gaza plan.