Western allies signal policy shifts over West Bank violence

Relations between Israel and several Western allies are deteriorating due to escalating violence and settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government continues to push for settlement growth, which is considered illegal under international law, amid reports of frequent settler attacks against Palestinians.

In response, the United Kingdom has signaled a major policy reset, with the foreign secretary promising a “comprehensive set of measures” within weeks. These measures are expected to target specific individuals and organizations involved in settlement expansion rather than imposing broad sanctions.

France has also taken a firm stance, with its foreign minister urging the European Union to ban trade with settlements, describing the violence as “an unacceptable affront to the dignity of the Palestinian people.” European diplomats have expressed concern that the current trajectory is making a two-state solution unviable, noting that the level of settler violence and the lack of official intervention have shifted the diplomatic landscape significantly.