The Foreign Ministers of the G7 nations—Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States—alongside the High Representative of the European Union, have strongly condemned recent actions by the Israeli government concerning settlement activities in the West Bank.
The condemnation follows Israel’s Finance Minister Smotrich’s announcement to legalize five outposts in the West Bank and the government’s declaration of over 1,270 hectares as ‘state lands,’ marking the largest such declaration since the Oslo Accords. Additionally, Israel’s decision to expand existing settlements by 5,295 new housing units and to establish three new settlements has drawn sharp criticism.
“The Government of Israel’s settlement program is inconsistent with international law, and counterproductive to the cause of peace,” stated the G7 Ministers, emphasizing the legal and ethical implications of these expansions.
The G7 reaffirmed their commitment to a lasting and sustainable peace based on UN Security Council resolutions and a two-state solution. “We have therefore consistently expressed our opposition to the expansion of settlements and, as in previous cases, we urge the Government of Israel to reverse this decision,” they urged.
Highlighting the importance of economic stability for regional security, the statement also addressed the economic tensions in the region. The G7 acknowledged the recent transfers of clearance revenues to the Palestinian Authority but called for further actions.
“We urge Israel to release all withheld clearance revenues in accordance with the Paris Protocols,” they insisted. Additionally, the G7 called for the removal or relaxation of measures exacerbating the economic situation in the West Bank and for maintaining proper controls in correspondent banking services between Israeli and Palestinian banks.
