France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom urged Israel on Thursday to uphold international law and take urgent steps to protect Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, warning that a sharp escalation in illegal settler violence is destabilizing the region.
The four governments, known as the E4, condemned what they called a “massive increase” in attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians, saying in a joint statement that they were “deeply alarmed” by the surge. They noted that settler assaults have reached their highest levels in nearly two decades.
Citing U.N. figures, the statement said 264 settler attacks were recorded in October, the highest monthly total since systematic monitoring began in 2006. The E4 said the violence threatens stability in the West Bank and risks fueling wider regional tensions.
The group called on the Israeli government to “abide by its obligations under international law and protect the Palestinian population of the occupied territories,” underscoring that Israeli authorities must ensure accountability for such attacks. “We urge the Government of Israel to hold those responsible to account and to prevent further violence by addressing its root causes,” the statement said.
Reaffirming long-standing positions on the conflict, the E4 said they remain opposed to “any form of annexation – whether partial, total or de facto – and settlement policies that violate international law.”
They reiterated support for a negotiated two-state solution, with Israelis and Palestinians living “side by side in peace and security.”
The ministers stressed the urgency of halting the unrest: “These attacks must stop. They sow terror among civilians, undermine ongoing peace efforts and ultimately harm Israel’s own long-term security.”
The U.N. on Friday warned that conditions in the occupied West Bank are deteriorating, citing a sharp rise in violence that has left Palestinian civilians facing increasing casualties, displacement and insecurity.
The Israeli army has escalated attacks in the West Bank since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip in October 2023.
More than 1,076 Palestinians have since been killed, and 10,700 injured in attacks by the army and illegal settlers in the occupied territory. More than 20,500 people have also been arrested.
In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
