G7 foreign ministers condemn Israel's expansions of illegal settlements

G7 foreign ministers have denounced Israel's decision to expand illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, describing the move as "counterproductive to the cause of peace".

Israel announced last month that it would legalise five illegal outposts in the West Bank, establishing three new settlements, and seize huge swathes of Palestinian land.

The G7 - which consists of the US, UK, Canada, Japan, France, Germany and Italy - urged Israel to reverse its move.

"We reaffirm our commitment to lasting and sustainable peace... on the basis of the two-state solution," the foreign ministers said in a statement.

The ministers also urged Israel to release all remaining withheld tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority, stating that economic stability in the occupied West Bank was "critical for regional security".