Thu Dec 25 03:23:35 UTC 2025: ## International Outcry as 14 Nations Condemn Israel’s West Bank Settlement Expansion
[City, Date] – A coalition of fourteen countries, including key European nations like Britain, France, and Germany, alongside Canada and Japan, have issued a strong condemnation of Israel’s recent approval of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank. The nations declared the move illegal under international law and warned it jeopardizes the fragile ceasefire in Gaza and the prospects for long-term peace in the region.
In a joint statement, the countries emphasized their “clear opposition to any form of annexation and to the expansion of settlement policies,” urging Israel to reverse its decision. They reiterated their “resolute support of Palestinians’ right of self-determination” and reaffirmed their commitment to a two-state solution.
The announcement follows the greenlighting of the settlement plan by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right figure who explicitly stated the move was designed to prevent the establishment of a future Palestinian state. Smotrich has also claimed the Israeli government has approved or retroactively legalized 69 new settlements since taking office in late 2022.
The United Nations has previously reported that Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank has reached its highest level since at least 2017, deeming it a major obstacle to a peace agreement. The UN asserts that these settlements, all of which are illegal under international law, undermine the possibility of a contiguous Palestinian territory and a viable two-state solution.
According to Al Jazeera’s correspondent Nour Odeh, the Israeli government’s actions are strategically altering the reality on the ground for Palestinians, particularly in the northeastern West Bank where many of the newly formalized settlement outposts are located. She explained that these decisions support the expansion and entrenchment of settler activity, leading to increased violence against Palestinians.
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