Australia joins coalition condemning Israeli settlement expansion in West Bank

What happened

The Guardian reports that Australia has joined a group of Western countries, including the UK, Italy, France, Germany, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, in issuing a joint statement condemning Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank. The leaders said settler violence has reached unprecedented levels and called on Israel to halt further settlement construction, which they say breaches international law.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure or battlefield claim should be read as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source. The statement highlighted the E1 settlement project, which would link East Jerusalem and another West Bank settlement with plans for 3,401 housing units, a tender first revealed by The Guardian earlier in January. The Israeli far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, described the project as effectively ending the possibility of a sovereign Palestinian state, according to the Guardian’s report.

The coalition's statement warned of legal and reputational risks for businesses involved in settlement construction and urged Israel to cease expansion, address settler violence, investigate allegations against Israeli forces, respect the custodianship of Jerusalem’s holy sites, and lift financial restrictions on the Palestinian Authority and economy.

Known from the source

• Australia joined UK, Italy, France, Germany, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, and New Zealand in condemning Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank.
• The coalition claims settler violence has reached unprecedented levels in the West Bank.
• The E1 settlement project plans 3,401 housing units, according to a tender published by the Israel Land Authority and first reported by The Guardian.
• Bezalel Smotrich, Israeli far-right finance minister, described E1’s approval as burying the idea of a Palestinian state.
• The coalition calls Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law.

What remains unclear

Australia’s energy minister Chris Bowen clarified that Australia’s position on settlements is not new but that joining this coalition is a reinforcement of a consistent government stance. The Israeli government had no immediate comment on the statement as per the Guardian report.

What remains unclear: Verify current official Israeli government response to this joint statement. Confirm the exact enforcement status or actions taken regarding the E1 settlement project as of May 2026. Check for any updated casualty or violence figures related to settler activity in the West Bank since the statement was issued. Validate quotes from political figures for accuracy and context.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: The Guardian Gaza. Open the source.