The Palestinian Authority on Wednesday protested Israel’s decision, accusing it of tightening its control over Palestinian land, and called it a continuation of “apartheid, settlement, and annexation policies that undermine the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.”

A group of 14 countries urged Israel "to reverse this decision, as well as the expansion of settlements".

Such unilateral actions, "as part of a wider intensification of the settlement policies in the West Bank, not only violate international law but also risk fueling instability," said the group, which includes the UK, Canada, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain.