UN slams Israel’s expansion of illegal settlements in occupied West Bank

UN chief Guterres labels settlements ‘flagrant violation’ of international law amid escalating violence.Published On 27 Jul 202627 Jul 2026United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned plans to accelerate the development of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.Guterres said in a statement released on Monday that Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territory have “no legal validity” and constitute a “flagrant violation” of international law. His criticism comes amid escalating violence in the West Bank and Israeli plans to boost the legalisation of outposts and establishment of new ones.Guterres said the settlements remain a major obstacle to a two-state solution and to a “just, lasting and comprehensive peace” between Israelis and Palestinians.The Secretary-General’s statement builds on repeated UN warnings over Israeli settlement policy in recent months, joining calls by the UN and its partner agencies for civilian protection and accountability for perpetrators under international humanitarian and human rights law.Guterres’s remarks follow Israel’s announcement of new measures as part of a package of steps taken amid a surge of settler violence across...