Fourteen countries condemn Israel's expansion of West Bank settlements Fourteen countries, including France, Britain, and Germany, condemned on Wednesday Israel's recent approval of new settlements in the occupied West Bank. "We, States of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom condemn the approval by the Israeli security cabinet of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank," said a joint statement released by the French foreign ministry. "We recall our clear opposition to any form of annexation and to the expansion of settlement policies," it added. On Sunday, Israel's far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the authorities had greenlit the settlements, saying the move was aimed at preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state. This picture taken from Nablus on 23 March 2025 shows the new expansion of the Israeli settlement of Elon Moreh, east of the city, in the occupied West Bank (AFP/Zain Jaafar)