The European Union has called on Israel to immediately halt the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank, warning that continued construction and violence against Palestinians threaten the prospects for a two-state solution.
In a statement released on Friday, the EU urged Israel to stop legalising settlement outposts, confiscating Palestinian land, demolishing homes, and carrying out forced evictions, saying such actions undermine efforts to achieve lasting peace.
The appeal comes after Israel's security cabinet approved 1.3 billion shekels (about $428 million) to establish 34 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, one of the country's largest recent investments in settlement expansion.
Most of the international community, including the United Nations and the International Court of Justice, considers Israeli settlements in territories occupied since 1967 to be illegal under international law. Israel disputes this interpretation.
Although the EU does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the occupied territories, its member states remain divided on whether to impose sanctions or trade restrictions related to settlement activities.
The renewed diplomatic pressure follows a series of violent incidents in the West Bank. According to Palestinian officials, two Palestinian children were injured after Israeli settlers allegedly threw stones at their family's vehicle, causing head and facial injuries. In a separate incident, a 16-year-old Palestinian boy was reportedly shot by Israeli forces and remains hospitalised.
Speaking ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described the situation in the occupied West Bank as "intolerable," warning that continued violence and settlement expansion are making the implementation of a two-state solution increasingly difficult.
The EU has reiterated its commitment to a negotiated peace and urged all parties to avoid actions that could further escalate tensions in the region.
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