Israel Faces International Criticism Over Settlement Policies and Sanctions

At a United Nations meeting, Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour urged the international community to curb Israel’s “colonial appetite.” He said Israel now controls roughly 70 % of the Gaza Strip, seeks permanent annexation, and forces about 2 million Palestinians into the remaining 30 % under “unlivable” conditions. He warned that hostilities continue, with fire still burning and nearly 1,000 Palestinians killed, violating the cease‑fire that has been in place since October 2025.

Israel later rebuked a coalition of Australia, France, the United Kingdom, Canada and Norway that imposed financial sanctions and travel bans on extremist settlers and the organisations that support them in the West Bank. Labeling the measures “disgraceful,” Israel accused the countries of fueling antisemitism. The sanctions target individuals such as Ben Zion Gopstein, leader of the far‑right group Lehava, as well as settlers Eden Levi and Moshe Sharvit, and financial support for settlement outposts.