Global Affairs Canada Reaffirms Opposition to Illegal Israeli Settlement Expansion in the Occupied West Bank
Global Affairs Canada issued a statement on Wednesday reaffirming its opposition to the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, noting that these settlements are illegal under international law. The statement underscored that the expansion has coincided with an user uptick in violence, with 76 Palestinians allegedly killed by settler attacks this year. Canada called for the de-escalation of violence and the protection of civilians, urging for international humanitarian law to be respected. In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry dismissed Canada's concerns as misguided, accusing Canada of moving to "embolden terror" by focusing on the settlements rather than the Palestinian terrorists who are being murdered and wounded by Israeli forces. The United Nations has also expressed alarm over the increasing violence, recording roughly 190 settler attacks in each of the first four months of 2026. The UN estimates that settler attacks could reach 2,000 by the year's end, potentially overtaking last year's total of 1,835.