Fourteen countries, among them France, Britain and Germany, issued a joint condemnation on Wednesday of Israel’s decision to authorize new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
"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," said a joint statement released by the French foreign ministry.
"We recall our clear opposition to any form of annexation and to the expansion of settlement policies," it added.
On Sunday, Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the authorities had greenlit the settlements, saying the move was aimed at preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state.
In their statement, the countries stressed such unilateral actions "violate international law" and risk undermining a fragile ceasefire in Gaza as mediators push for the implementation of the second phase of the truce.
