Global Pushback: Israel’s West Bank Settlement Drive Sparks Diplomatic Criticism From 14 Countries

The approval of 19 new settlements in the West Bank by the Israeli security cabinet has been denounced by 14 countries. The United Kingdom, Spain, France, Germany, Canada, and Japan are on the list, per the joint statement. The 14 countries called the Israeli decision ‘intensification of the settlement politics’ in the West Bank and said that it breaches international law. They insisted that Israel retract the action.

Joint Statement Released By Yvette Cooper

The joint statement released by Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary of the United Kingdom, read, “We, States of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom condemn the approval by the Israeli security cabinet of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank.”

“We remember that such unilateral actions, as part of a wider intensification of the settlement policies in the West Bank, not only violate international law but also run the risk of fuelling instability,” the statement continued. They run the risk of damaging chances for long-term peace and security throughout the area and jeopardising the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan for Gaza amid efforts to advance to phase 2. The 14 countries reaffirmed their disapproval of Israel’s “annexation and the expansion of settlement policies.”

More On The Statement

“We recall our clear opposition to any form of annexation and to the expansion of settlement policies, including the approval of the E1 settlement and thousands of new housing units,” the statement read. In accordance with UNSC Resolution 2334, we demand that Israel revoke both this decision and the settlement growth. “We firmly believe that Palestinians have the right to self-determination. In line with pertinent UN Security Council resolutions, we reiterate our unwavering commitment to a comprehensive, just, and long-lasting peace based on the Two-State solution, in which Israel and Palestine, two democratic states, coexist peacefully and securely within recognised borders. The joint statement stated, “We reiterate that a negotiated two-state solution is the only option.

According to WAFA, the Israeli military issued fresh eviction orders for local Palestinian residents east of the al-Tuffah neighbourhood in Gaza City on Thursday (local time) amid the conflict that has been going on since October 7, 2023. According to WAFA, hundreds of families have started to relocate westward as a result of the announcement.

(With Inputs From ANI)

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