LONDON — A raft of Western ministers and their international allies condemned Israel’s West Bank settlement plans as “unacceptable and a violation of international law” in a statement released on Thursday.
It comes amid continued international outcry over the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
The joint statement, which condemns plans for settlement construction in the E1 area near East Jerusalem in the “strongest possible terms,” was issued by representatives of 22 different nations and international organizations.
These included the foreign ministers of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the U.K., and European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas.
The reprimand came as Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy summoned Israel’s ambassador to the U.K. to the Foreign Office.
“Today, the Ambassador of Israel to the United Kingdom was summoned to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office,” a Foreign Office spokesperson said in a separate statement on Thursday.
“Her Excellency Tzipi Hotovely was summoned in response to the Israeli Higher Planning Committee’s decision to approve plans for settlement construction in the E1 area, East of Jerusalem,” they added.
Israel gave final approval for the settlement project this week — including plans for 3,400 homes in the West Bank. Construction in the area had been stopped for two decades amid international opposition.
The Palestinian Authority has already condemned the decision, arguing it would “destroy” hopes for a two-state solution to the conflict.
The statement by Western ministers highlighted comments by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who said his plan would “bury the idea of a Palestinian state.”
“This brings no benefits to the Israeli people,” the joint statement said. “Instead, it risks undermining security and fuels further violence and instability, taking us further away from peace.”
The ministers urged Israel to “urgently retract” its plan, adding that its government “still has an opportunity to stop the E1 plan going any further.”
Israel has repeatedly resisted international calls for de-escalation during the conflict in Gaza and the ensuing humanitarian crisis, which a top EU official described as appearing “very much like” genocide.
In May, following another joint statement from France, Britain and Canada, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the countries of “offering a huge prize for the genocidal attack on Israel” in response to the threat of targeted sanctions.
Netanyahu also accused the French president of fueling antisemitism with his decision to recognize a Palestinian state on Tuesday.
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