Jordan's King condemns Israeli West Bank settlement expansion as war crime

Jordan’s King Abdullah II condemned the ongoing expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, describing the policy as a deliberate strategy of “forced displacement.” Speaking at a press briefing in Amman, the monarch warned that the settlement activity undermines the prospects for a negotiated two‑state solution and violates international law, referencing United Nations resolutions that deem the settlements illegal.

The king’s remarks come amid a surge in construction approvals for new housing units in several West Bank settlements, a development that has drawn criticism from the European Union and the United Nations. Jordan, which shares a border with the West Bank and hosts a large Palestinian refugee population, reiterated its commitment to supporting a viable Palestinian state and called on the international community to increase diplomatic pressure on Israel to halt settlement growth. The statement underscores the heightened tensions in the region and the ongoing diplomatic challenges surrounding the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict.