Paris, Sep 2026 : Britain, France and Canada have reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, warning that the continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank poses a serious threat to prospects for lasting peace in the region.
In a joint statement issued Tuesday, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel remains essential for peace, stability and security in the Middle East and beyond.
The three leaders described the “systematic expansion” of Israeli settlements as a direct and urgent challenge to the two-state vision. They also condemned the Israeli government’s decision to advance the E1 settlement project and expressed concern over what they described as a sharp increase in violence by Israeli settlers.
“Settlements are illegal under international law,” the leaders said, while stressing the need to preserve the territorial and political foundations required for a viable Palestinian state.
As part of their response, Britain, France and Canada said they would ban imports of goods originating from Israeli settlements. They also announced plans to impose targeted measures against settlements as well as individuals and entities that facilitate settlement activity or profit from it.
Despite their criticism, the three governments stressed that they wanted to maintain a close and constructive relationship with Israel. They reiterated their support for Israel’s security while also backing the establishment of a secure Palestinian state.
“We support a safe and secure Israel, living alongside a safe and secure Palestine,” the leaders said.
The statement comes amid heightened tensions across the region, with the situation in southern Lebanon also drawing concern from the United Nations.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over escalating Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon that have reportedly resulted in civilian deaths, displacement and damage to critical infrastructure, including a hospital.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Guterres was particularly alarmed by reports of Israeli strikes affecting hospitals, healthcare workers and public institutions, along with restrictions on humanitarian access.
The UN chief was especially concerned about attacks reported over the weekend and continuing through Monday in Lebanon’s Nabatieh governorate.
Although the reported attacks occurred outside the operational area of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), peacekeepers continued to closely monitor developments and voiced concern over the broader deterioration in the security environment.
Dujarric said UNIFIL had recorded a significant increase in Israeli military activity, including ground operations, projectile fire and airstrikes, as well as violations of Lebanese airspace.
The developments have raised further international concern over the worsening regional security situation and the growing challenges facing diplomatic efforts to achieve a lasting settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
