7 countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, have issued a joint statement condemning the worsening situation in the West Bank, warning that Israeli settlement expansion and settler violence are undermining prospects for a two-state solution.
In the statement issued on Friday, the leaders of Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and the United Kingdom said settler violence in the West Bank had reached “unprecedented levels” in recent months.
The countries reiterated that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law and warned that proposed construction projects in the E1 area would divide the West Bank in two, marking what they described as a “serious breach of international law.”
The statement also urged businesses not to participate in settlement-related construction projects, warning of potential legal and reputational consequences.
The seven nations called on the Israeli government to halt settlement expansion, ensure accountability for settler violence, investigate allegations against Israeli forces, and ease financial restrictions imposed on the Palestinian Authority.
They also reaffirmed support for a negotiated two-state solution based on relevant UN Security Council resolutions, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security. (Newswire)