EU Condemns Israel for Illegal Expansion of 34 West Bank Settlements

The European Union issued a sharp condemnation of Israel's decision to establish more than 30 new settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The EU labeled the expansion illegal under international law and a flagrant violation.

Anadolu Ajansı

The statement cited the International Court of Justice's advisory opinion of 19 July 2024.

The EU strongly condemns Israel's unilateral actions aiming to expand its presence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation also condemned the move.

The Palestinian Presidency described it as a flagrant violation of international law.

The latest 34 approvals were the largest single expansion in history.

Israel's Security Cabinet secretly approved the establishment of 34 illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Channel 24 described it as the largest number of settlements ever approved in a single cabinet session.

Anadolu Ajansı

The approved sites include locations within Palestinian neighborhoods and remote areas.

Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir attended and did not explicitly object but raised manpower concerns.

The cabinet chose to keep the decision secret to avoid US pressure.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli government.

Türkiye's Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli move as a serious violation of international law.

“The European Union issued a sharp condemnation following Israel's recent decision to establish more than 30 new settlements in the occupied West Bank”

BusinessLine

The Palestinian Authority denounced the move as a dangerous escalation.

The UN Office for Human Rights reported more than 36,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced over the past year.

The European Union expressed concern about settlement projects in East Jerusalem.

The continued expansion jeopardizes the viability of a two-state solution.

Israeli settlements are considered illegal under international law by the United Nations.

The International Court of Justice declared Israel's occupation illegal in July 2024.

Daily Sabah

The Netanyahu government has accelerated settlement expansion since taking office.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights documented 84 new outposts in a single period.

Almost 1,700 Palestinians were displaced by settler attacks in the first three months of 2026.