The UK has condemned the Israeli government's approval of 19 new illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
"The UK condemns the Israeli government’s approval of 19 new settlements in Palestine. These are illegal under international law," Hamish Falconer, the British minister for Middle East affairs, wrote on X on Sunday.
His remarks came after Israel’s Cabinet approved a proposal for 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, bringing the total number of new settlements over the past few years to 69, according to far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
"This risks undermining the 20 Point Plan and prospects for the long-term peace and security that only a two-state solution can deliver," Falconer warned, referring to US President Donald Trump’s roadmap to end the Israeli war on Gaza.
Israeli forces and illegal settlers have killed at least 1,102 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, injured nearly 11,000 and detained around 21,000 since October 2023, according to Palestinian figures.
In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Earlier, Smotrich approved a plan to establish a new illegal settlement with 3,600 housing units in occupied East Jerusalem.
Smotrich announced on X that the settlement will serve as “a strategic base to protect Jerusalem from the east” and is part of Israel’s policy to reinforce control over the occupied area.
