EU renews pressure on Israel over West Bank settlement expansion amid funding approval

The European Union has renewed its call on Israel to halt settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, after Israel's security cabinet approved funding for 34 new settlements. The move has intensified diplomatic pressure on Israel at a time when the bloc remains divided over how far to go in responding. EU officials said continued construction, legalisation of outposts, land appropriation, demolitions and forced evictions risk undermining the viability of a future Palestinian state.

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According to the supplied report, the cabinet approved 1.3 billion shekels, or about $427.8m, for the new settlements. The funding package was described as one of Israel's largest recent investments in settlement expansion. EU foreign ministers also failed this week to reach consensus on proposals that could restrict trade with settlements in the occupied West Bank, despite calls from some member states for tougher action.

The issue remains highly sensitive because the United Nations, the International Court of Justice and most countries consider Israeli settlements in territory occupied since 1967 to be illegal under international law. Israel rejects that interpretation, and the European Union says it does not recognise Israel's sovereignty over the territories it occupied in 1967. The latest warning comes amid continuing violence in the West Bank, including incidents in which Palestinian children were injured and a 16-year-old boy was shot by Israeli forces, according to the report.

The renewed pressure matters because settlement policy sits at the centre of the long-running dispute over a two-state solution. Expansion on occupied land is widely seen internationally as making a negotiated settlement harder to achieve, while Palestinian officials and international partners have criticised the latest funding decision. The row also highlights the gap between the EU's stated position and the difficulty of agreeing collective measures among its 27 member states.

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The report places the latest developments in the context of a broader pattern of settlement growth and related measures such as outpost legalisation, demolitions and forced evictions. It also notes that the EU has long maintained its non-recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the occupied territories, but has so far struggled to translate that position into a unified policy response. That division has become more visible as calls have grown for stronger economic or diplomatic pressure.

What remains unclear is whether the EU will move beyond statements and failed trade proposals to any concrete action. It is also not yet clear whether Israel will alter the settlement plan or proceed with implementation of the approved funding. The next developments to watch are any further EU discussions, possible national measures by member states, and whether violence in the West Bank continues alongside the expansion plans.

Two former world leaders have warned that prospects for Palestinian statehood are "disappearing" after a tour of Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and the occupied West Bank this week. Mary Robinson, Ireland's first female president, and Helen Clark, New Zealand's former prime minister, said the situation for Palestinians in the West Bank has worsened sharply since Robinson last visited in 2023. They urged Israel to reverse settlement expansion and stop incitement to violence against Palestinians.

The warning came after the pair completed the regional visit as members of The Elders, a group of former politicians and Nobel laureates founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007. Their comments focused on the continued approval of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and what they described as incitement from senior Israeli ministers. They singled out Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir as key figures in the concerns they raised.

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Robinson said the situation facing Palestinians in the West Bank was "so much worse" than on her previous visit. She said the pattern no longer appeared to be isolated acts by individual settlers, but something more systemic. In remarks made in Jerusalem, she also referred to what she described as explicit hate speech and dehumanising language from ministers, saying it made clear they wanted to annex the whole of the West Bank.

The intervention adds to international pressure over the future of the occupied West Bank, where settlement expansion remains one of the most contentious issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The settlements are widely viewed internationally as a major obstacle to a negotiated two-state solution, although the Israeli government continues to approve them and refers to the territory by its biblical names of Judea and Samaria. The latest warning from two prominent former leaders underscores how diplomatic concern over the issue remains active.

Their comments also come against a backdrop of rising tension since the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023 and the subsequent war in Gaza. Robinson said the West Bank had changed markedly since that period, and that the atmosphere she encountered now was more severe than during her previous visit. The pair's assessment suggests that the political and security environment in the territory is becoming harder to separate from the wider regional conflict.

The Elders have previously used their platform to press for international action on conflicts and human rights concerns, and this latest statement is aimed at governments beyond the region as well as Israel. The group said more pressure was needed to change course, reflecting a view that diplomatic engagement alone has not halted settlement growth. Their remarks also align with recent sanctions imposed by Australia, the UK, Canada and New Zealand on Smotrich and Ben-Gvir for inciting violence against Palestinians.

The warning is significant because it speaks directly to the viability of a future Palestinian state at a time when settlement expansion continues. If the trend continues, the former leaders argue, the territorial basis for statehood could be further eroded. That would have implications not only for Palestinians and Israelis, but also for wider international efforts to revive negotiations.

It remains unclear whether the latest appeal will lead to any immediate policy change, either from Israel or from governments being asked to increase pressure. What happens next will depend on whether international actors respond with further diplomatic or economic measures, and whether settlement approvals continue. The central question now is whether the warning from Robinson and Clark marks another call for restraint, or a sign that the window for a two-state outcome is narrowing further.

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