Daijiworld Media Network – Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Dec 25: Israel on Thursday reacted sharply to a joint condemnation by 14 countries, including France and Britain, over its approval of new settlements in the occupied West Bank, calling the criticism discriminatory against Jews.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said foreign governments would not restrict the right of Jews to live in what he described as the Land of Israel, adding that any such demand was “morally wrong and discriminatory against Jews.”

He said the cabinet’s decision to establish 11 new settlements and formally recognise eight additional ones was also aimed at addressing Israel’s security concerns.

The reaction followed an announcement on Sunday by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich that authorities had approved the settlements, a move he said was intended to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state.

In response, 14 countries — including Britain, France, Germany, Spain and Canada — issued a statement urging Israel to reverse the decision and halt settlement expansion, warning that such unilateral actions violate international law and risk undermining the fragile Gaza ceasefire in force since October 10.

The countries reaffirmed their commitment to a two-state solution, calling for Israel and Palestine to live side by side in peace and security.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Excluding east Jerusalem, which Israel occupied and annexed in 1967, over 500,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements alongside around three million Palestinians.

Earlier this month, the United Nations said Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank had reached its highest level since at least 2017, reiterating that all such settlements are illegal under international law.