The UK government gave a statement in response to Israel's announcement that five currently illegal outposts will be legalized in the West Bank, Monday afternoon.
"The UK strongly opposes the announcement that five outposts are to be legalized in the West Bank as well as further punitive measures against the Palestinian Authority," a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said.
"Israel must halt its illegal settlement expansion and hold to account those responsible for extremist settler violence," the statement continued.
"We are clear that actions by Israel to weaken the Palestinian Authority must stop. We call for longer-term measures to be put in place to ensure continued correspondent banking relations and assurance that Israel will release frozen funds without delay," it said.
"The UK’s priority is to bring the Gaza conflict to a sustainable end as quickly as possible and ensure a lasting peace in the Middle East, through an irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution," the statement concluded.