Thu Dec 25 09:10:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing and rewriting the provided text:
International Outcry as Israel Approves New West Bank Settlements
JERUSALEM – Fourteen countries, including major European nations like Britain, France, Italy, and Spain, have issued a strong condemnation of the Israeli security cabinet’s recent approval of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank. The countries, which also include Canada, Germany, and Japan, stated the settlements violate international law and risk further destabilizing the region.
The move, announced last Sunday, brings the total number of new settlements approved recently to 69, according to Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The joint statement released by the 14 nations calls on Israel to reverse the decision, emphasizing that such unilateral actions undermine efforts toward a comprehensive peace plan in Gaza and harm prospects for lasting security across the region.
“Such unilateral actions, as part of a wider intensification of the settlement policies in the West Bank, not only violate international law but also risk fuelling instability,” the statement read.
The countries reiterated their opposition to any form of annexation and expansion of settlement policies, including the approval of the E1 settlement and thousands of new housing units. They specifically invoked UN Security Council Resolution 2334, urging Israel to adhere to its guidelines.
Critics point out that the new approvals mark a significant increase in settlement activity, with Peace Now, an anti-settlement watchdog group, estimating a nearly 50% rise in settlements in the West Bank under the current government. The latest plan includes two settlements previously evacuated in 2005.
The international community widely considers settlements to be illegal under international law.
The joint statement concluded by reaffirming the 14 countries’ support for Palestinian self-determination and their commitment to a two-state solution, where Israel and Palestine can coexist peacefully within secure and recognized borders.
In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar dismissed the statement, asserting that foreign governments cannot restrict the right of Jews to live in the Land of Israel and that such calls are discriminatory. He maintained that the decision was necessary to address security threats facing the country.
First Piper 