UK and partners condemn Israeli approval of West Bank Settlements

rki.news
London, August 21– Britain and 22 international partners have strongly condemned Israel’s decision to approve more than 3,400 housing units in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank, calling it a clear violation of international law.
In a joint statement, the countries declared: “This decision is unacceptable and must be reversed immediately. It brings no benefit to the Israeli people and instead risks undermining security, fueling further violence, and moving us further away from peace.”
The statement emphasized that unilateral actions by Israel jeopardize regional stability and contradict the collective aspiration for peace and prosperity in the Middle East. The countries urged Israel to halt settlement construction in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2334 and to lift financial restrictions imposed on the Palestinian Authority.
Signatories included foreign ministers of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Britain, along with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
Separately, Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed that the Israeli ambassador to the UK was summoned on Thursday in protest over the settlement expansion.
The Israeli Higher Planning Committee approved 3,753 housing units, including 3,401 for final authorization, in the controversial E1 corridor near Ma’ale Adumim. The project is widely criticized for creating a settlement continuum that would isolate East Jerusalem from the West Bank, further complicating prospects for a two-state solution.