Merz, Meloni and allies castigate Israel over West Bank settler violence

The leaders of France, Germany, Italy and the U.K. on Friday urged Israel to halt the expansion of settlements in the West Bank and curb rising settler violence.

“Over the past few months, the situation in the West Bank has deteriorated significantly. Settler violence is at unprecedented levels,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a blunt joint statement.

“The policies and practices of the Israeli government, including a further entrenchment of Israeli control, are undermining stability and prospects for a two-state solution,” they warned, targeting the E1 development east of Jerusalem for criticism as Israel looks to push out Palestinians.

European countries have steadily increased their criticism of Israel in recent months, and even staunch supporters like Merz and Meloni — the EU’s most prominent conservative leaders — have taken a notably tougher stance on expansionist ambitions.

A video this week showing Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir taunting activists who Israel detained en route to deliver supplies to Gaza drove the criticism to new heights.

In their joint statement, the French, German, Italian and British leaders called on Israel to end settlement expansion, ensure accountability for settler violence and “respect the Hashemite custodianship over Jerusalem’s Holy Sites and the historic status quo arrangements.” They also urged Israel to lift financial restrictions on the Palestinian Authority.

The statement added that companies bidding for construction tenders in the E1 development area should be “aware” of potential legal consequences. Additionally on Friday, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten announced that the Netherlands would ban goods coming from illegal Israeli settlements.

Last summer, the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also criticized Israel for advancing the E1 settlement plan. She warned that settlement construction in the area would “permanently cut the geographical and territorial contiguity between occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank” and “sever the connection between the northern and southern West Bank.”