France has joined Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom in calling on Israel to halt the expansion of settlements illegal under international law in the occupied West Bank, and immediately withdraw tenders issued this week for more than 1,200 new homes under the controversial E1 project.
In a joint statement released on Thursday, Paris, Berlin, Rome and London said the move was particularly concerning at a time of heightened instability in the West Bank, citing rising settler violence and growing pressure on the Palestinian economy.
