Fourteen countries, including France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Japan, expressed strong condemnation after Israel approved new settlements in the West Bank. A decision deemed contrary to international law and likely to compromise the prospects for peace in the region.
A coordinated diplomatic reaction was heard after the announcement by the Israeli authorities of the creation of new settlements in the occupied West Bank. In a joint statement made public by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, fourteen states denounced a unilateral decision that they consider incompatible with Israel’s international commitments.
The signatory countries, which include France, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Italy and Spain, point to the approval by the Israeli security cabinet of nineteen new establishments. A measure that Tel Aviv justifies by security considerations, claiming to want to prevent the emergence of a Palestinian state perceived as hostile.
A violation of international law denounced
In their press release, the signatory States recall that the colonization of occupied territories constitutes an infraction of international law. They believe that this decision risks weakening ongoing diplomatic efforts, particularly those linked to the ceasefire and reconstruction plan in Gaza, and worsening regional instability.
The countries explicitly call on Israel to reverse this decision and stop settlement expansion, in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334. They also reaffirm their attachment to the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.
Reaffirmation of the two-state solution
The signatories underline their commitment to a lasting political settlement based on the coexistence of two States, Israeli and Palestinian, living side by side within recognized borders and in conditions of mutual security. According to them, continued colonization directly compromises this perspective.
On the Palestinian side, the Palestinian Authority reacted strongly, denouncing a policy of progressive annexation and an acceleration of attacks on Palestinian rights. She accuses Israel of seeking to make any project for a sovereign Palestinian state unrealizable, while warning of the rise in violence linked to settlers.
A clearly accelerating colonization dynamic
Israeli colonization in the West Bank has continued for several decades, but has seen a marked intensification in recent years, particularly since the outbreak of the Gaza war. Today, more than half a million Israelis live in settlements considered illegal by the United Nations, among several million Palestinians.
The United Nations recently warned of an unprecedented increase in settlements in 2025, citing a major risk to the viability of a continuous and sovereign Palestinian state. The UN Secretary General was also concerned about the increase in violence committed by settlers, sometimes under the watch or with the support of Israeli security forces.
