The British government has criticized Israel's latest plans to establish Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, calling it a 'deliberate attempt to make a Palestinian state impossible'. Israel has approved 22 new settlements in the territory occupied since 1967. The UK condemns these settlements, as they 'deliberately create an obstacle to the formation of a Palestinian state', according to Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer.
The settlements also violate international law, which prohibits an occupying power from annexing or settling occupied territory. Israel has been annexing occupied territories since 1967. The international community, particularly the United Nations, has long advocated for a Palestinian state alongside Israel as a path to peace. Israel has also annexed parts of Syria.
