Fourteen governments, including the United Kingdom, condemned the Israeli security cabinet’s approval of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank. Issued via the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the joint statement argues the move contravenes international law and should be reversed.
The signatories said unilateral settlement steps are part of a wider intensification of settlement policy in the West Bank. They warned the approvals risk fuelling instability, undermining implementation of the Comprehensive Plan for Gaza and efforts to move to its second phase, and damaging prospects for long‑term regional security.
Citing UN Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016), the governments called on Israel to halt and reverse settlement expansion. Resolution 2334 reaffirmed that settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory have no legal validity under international law and urged an immediate cessation of settlement activity.
The statement restated clear opposition to any form of annexation and to the continued expansion of settlement policies, specifically referencing the E1 project and the approval of thousands of additional housing units. E1 has drawn sustained diplomatic attention given concerns about movement and territorial contiguity within the West Bank.
The governments reaffirmed support for Palestinians’ right to self‑determination and for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on a negotiated two‑state outcome. They reiterated the objective of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security within secure and recognised borders.
Signatories were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom. The grouping includes several G7 members alongside European partners and Nordic states, underlining coordinated diplomatic messaging.
For policy practitioners, the explicit reference to Resolution 2334 is a signal of the legal baseline the group continues to apply when assessing developments in the occupied Palestinian territory. The call to reverse the approvals indicates an expectation of compliance with established UN Security Council parameters.
The mention of E1 and large‑scale housing approvals points to continued monitoring of projects considered especially sensitive by diplomats. While the statement does not outline additional measures, it sets a clear record for future multilateral discussion and bilateral engagement.
Organisations operating in or near settlement areas face heightened legal and reputational exposure where activities intersect with settlement‑linked entities or infrastructure. Compliance teams should track authorisations, planning steps and land‑use decisions to ensure alignment with partner‑government guidance.
The joint statement concludes that there is no alternative to a negotiated two‑state solution and positions the reversal of new settlement approvals as important to regional stability and to sustaining the current diplomatic track on Gaza.