14 Countries Call on Israel to Stop Settlement Expansion in the West Bank

SadaNews - On Wednesday, 14 countries, including France, Britain, Canada, and Japan, condemned Israel's recent approval to establish Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, calling on the Israeli government to reverse the decision and to stop expanding the settlements.

A joint statement, published by the French Foreign Ministry, stated: "We, the representatives of Germany, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Spain, France, Italy, Ireland, Iceland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, and Britain, condemn the Israeli government's security cabinet's approval to establish 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank."

The statement added: "We reaffirm our opposition to any form of annexation and any expansion of settlement policy," according to Agence France-Presse.

The countries urged Israel to "reconsider this decision, as well as to cancel the expansion of the settlements."

The statement further noted: "We remind that such unilateral moves, as part of a broader intensification of settlement policies in the West Bank, not only violate international law but also fuel instability."