The European Union has renewed its call for Israel to halt the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank, warning that continued construction and other unilateral actions threaten the viability of a future Palestinian state. An EU spokesperson on Friday urged Israel to cease the legalization of settlement outposts, land appropriation, demolitions, and forced evictions of Palestinians.

This statement comes days after Israel's security cabinet approved a significant funding package of 1.3 billion shekels ($427.8 million) to establish 34 new settlements. This allocation represents one of Israel's largest recent investments in settlement expansion, drawing criticism from Palestinian officials and international partners.

The United Nations, the International Court of Justice, and the majority of nations consider Israeli settlements in territories occupied by Israel since 1967 to be illegal under international law, a stance Israel rejects. The EU maintains it does not recognize Israel's sovereignty over these territories.

The EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, stated that "everybody agrees that the situation in the West Bank is really intolerable." She added that current events are making the two-state solution "more and more impossible."

The renewed diplomatic pressure coincides with ongoing violence in the occupied West Bank. On Friday, two Palestinian children were hospitalized with head and facial injuries after Israeli settlers allegedly threw stones at their vehicle. In a separate incident, Israeli forces shot a 16-year-old Palestinian boy, who remains hospitalized.

Despite the EU's consistent stance against settlements and growing international condemnation, the 27-member bloc remains divided on implementing stronger measures, such as restricting trade with settlements in the occupied West Bank. Several member states are advocating for more robust action.

Palestinian officials have condemned the settlement expansion and the violence, viewing it as a direct impediment to peace and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

International bodies continue to monitor the situation closely, with ongoing concerns about the impact of settlement activities on Palestinian rights and the prospects for a lasting peace agreement in the region.