The European Union has intensified diplomatic pressure on Israel to stop settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, citing threats to a viable two-state solution amid rising violence targeting Palestinian civilians, including children.
The European Union has reiterated its demand for Israel to immediately cease all settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, warning that ongoing construction and unilateral actions jeopardize the prospects of a future Palestinian state. An EU spokesperson condemned Israel’s recent decisions to legalize settlement outposts, seize land, carry out demolitions, and forcibly evict Palestinians, labeling these actions as undermining the two-state solution.
The statement follows Israel’s security cabinet approval of a 1.3 billion shekel ($427.8 million) budget to establish 34 new settlements in the occupied territories—a move widely criticized by Palestinian authorities and international allies. The United Nations, the International Court of Justice, and most nations maintain that Israeli settlements in the 1967-occupied territories violate international law, a position Israel disputes.
While the EU has consistently refused to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over these areas, internal divisions among member states have hindered consensus on punitive measures, such as trade restrictions targeting settlements. Recent weeks have seen renewed violence, including an incident where Israeli settlers allegedly attacked a Palestinian family’s vehicle in Wadi al-Sha’er, injuring two children with head and facial wounds. Separately, a 16-year-old Palestinian was shot by Israeli forces and remains hospitalized.
“The situation in the West Bank is intolerable,” said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, emphasizing that escalating violence makes the two-state solution increasingly unattainable. The bloc’s foreign ministers gathered in Brussels to address these challenges but failed to agree on concrete steps to counter Israel’s settlement policies.
