A group of Western and allied states issued a joint statement condemning the Israeli security cabinet’s approval of 19 new communities in Judea and Samaria, stating that the move was "part of a wider intensification of the settlement policies in the West Bank."
The statement, issued by Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom, described the decision as a unilateral action and claimed that such steps "not only violate international law but also risk fueling instability."
According to the statement, the decision risks undermining "the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan for Gaza amid efforts to progress to phase 2" and could harm "prospects for long term peace and security across the region."
The signatories reiterated their opposition "to any form of annexation and to the expansion of settlement policies," including specific reference to "the approval of the E1 settlement and thousands of new housing units."
They called on Israel "to reverse this decision, as well as the expansion of settlements," citing UN Security Council Resolution 2334.
The statement further declared support for "Palestinians' right of self-determination" and reaffirmed an "unwavering commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the Two-State solution," in which Israel and a Palestinian state would live side by side in peace and security within recognized borders. The countries concluded by stating that "there is no alternative to a negotiated two-state solution."