Canada and 13 other countries issued a joint statement Wednesday condemning the Israeli security cabinet's approval of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank.
“We recall that such unilateral actions, as part of a wider intensification of the settlement policies in the West Bank, not only violate international law but also risk fueling instability,” the joint statement says.
On Sunday, Israel's cabinet announced the approval of 19 more settlements, bringing the number of new settlements over the past few years to 69, according to Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has pushed an expansion agenda in the West Bank.
The approval increases the number of settlements in the West Bank by nearly 50 per cent during the current far-right government’s tenure. In 2022, there were 141 across the West Bank. Now, there are 210, according to Peace Now, an anti-settlement watchdog group.
Settlements are widely considered illegal under international law. Smotrich’s office said the cabinet approval came on Dec. 11 and that the development had been classified until Sunday.
On Monday, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand condemned the news in a post on X.
“The continued settlement expansion is contrary to international law and puts at risk the 20 Point Peace Plan. Clearly such action undermines the prospects for a two-state solution and the ultimate objective of Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace and security,” said Anand.
