A picture shows Asael, an Israeli outpost located in the south of the occupied West Bank, on Feb. 13, 2023. (Credit: Hazem Bader/AFP)
The foreign ministers of five Western powers said Tuesday they were "deeply troubled" by the Israeli government's decision to legalize nine West Bank settlements and build thousands of new units.
Ministers from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the United States issued a joint statement that read: "We strongly oppose these unilateral actions which will only serve to exacerbate tensions between Israelis and Palestinians and undermine efforts to achieve a negotiated two-state solution."
They underlined their support for a "comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, which must be achieved through direct negotiations between the parties."
"We continue to closely monitor developments on the ground which impact the viability of the two-state solution and stability in the region at large," the ministers added.
Israel's security cabinet announced on Sunday that it would legalize nine settlements in the occupied West Bank following a series of attacks in East Jerusalem, including one that killed three Israelis.
These so-called "wild" settlements were built without authorization from the Israeli government.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who signed on to Tuesday's statement, on Monday already criticized Israel's plans to advance the settlements.
Israel's moves came on the heels of a visit by Blinken to the region in which he explicitly warned against settlement activity as he sought to ease tensions following rising violence.
More than 475,000 Israelis reside in settlements in the West Bank, home to 2.8 million Palestinians.
Ministers from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the United States issued a joint statement that read: "We strongly oppose these unilateral actions which will...