Israel rejects international call to halt West Bank settlements

Israel has condemned as morally unacceptable the call by 14 countries, including France, the UK, Canada, and Japan, to stop settlement expansion in the West Bank.

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated on X that foreign governments will not restrict the right of Jews to live in the Land of Israel and that any such call is morally wrong and discriminatory against Jews, Caliber.Az reports.

The decision to establish 19 new settlements, including 11 recently built and 8 recently legalised, is justified by Israel as necessary to address security threats facing the country.

Israel strongly rejects the statement issued by foreign countries regarding the Cabinet decision on settlements in Judea and Samaria.
Foreign governments will not restrict the right of Jews to live in the Land of Israel, and any such call is morally wrong and discriminatory…

— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) December 24, 2025

“The Cabinet decision to establish 11 new settlements and to formalise eight additional settlements is intended, among other things, to help address the security threats Israel is facing. All of the settlements are located in Area C and are situated on state land,” Saar wrote.

FM emphasised that Israel acts in accordance with international law, noting that the incorporation of the 1917 Balfour Declaration into the Mandate was explicitly agreed upon at the San Remo Conference in 1920.

Following the international concern over Israel’s settlement expansion, fourteen governments — including Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom — issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s approval of 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying such unilateral actions violate international law and risk fuelling regional instability.

The statement reiterated these countries’ clear opposition to annexation and settlement expansion and urged Israel to reverse the decision, arguing that settlement growth could undermine peace efforts and the fragile ceasefire in Gaza.

The group also reaffirmed support for Palestinian self‑determination and a negotiated two‑state solution, emphasising that there is no alternative to peaceful coexistence between Israel and a future Palestinian state.

By Jeyhun Aghazada