EU warns settlement expansion threatens two-state solution as violence escalates
Diplomatic pressure mounts on Israel following approval of 1.3 billion shekels for new settlements and reports of injuries to Palestinian children
The European Union has renewed its diplomatic pressure on Israel to halt settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, warning that unilateral measures continue to undermine the viability of a future Palestinian state. An EU spokesperson on Friday specifically urged Israel to cease the legalisation of settlement outposts, land appropriation, demolitions, and the forced eviction of Palestinians, actions the bloc argues are eroding the foundation for a two-state solution.
This statement follows the recent approval by Israel’s security cabinet of 1.3 billion shekels ($427.8m) to establish 34 new settlements in the occupied West Bank. The funding package represents one of the largest recent investments in settlement expansion and has drawn sharp criticism from Palestinian officials and international partners. The United Nations, the International Court of Justice, and most countries consider these settlements to be illegal under international law, a position Israel rejects. The EU has long maintained that it does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the territories occupied since 1967.
Despite the unified condemnation of settlement activities, the 27-member bloc remains divided on the implementation of stricter punitive measures. EU foreign ministers failed to reach a consensus this week on proposals to restrict trade with settlements in the occupied West Bank, highlighting internal disagreements on how to respond to the escalating situation.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described the current conditions in the West Bank as intolerable ahead of talks among foreign ministers in Brussels. She stated that the ongoing developments are making it increasingly impossible for a two-state solution to come into effect, underscoring the urgency of the diplomatic intervention.
The renewed diplomatic focus coincides with reports of violence involving Palestinian civilians, including children. According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, two Palestinian children were hospitalised with head and facial injuries after Israeli settlers allegedly hurled stones at their family’s vehicle in the Wadi al-Sha’er area. In a separate incident, a 16-year-old Palestinian boy was shot by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank and remains in hospital.
