Foreign Office minister, Tobias Ellwood, said:

I’m extremely concerned that the Knesset has passed the first reading of a bill which would expropriate privately owned Palestinian land and pave the way for a significant further expansion of settlements in the West Bank. This would be illegal under international law, and once again calls into question the Israeli government’s commitment to a two state solution.

I am also concerned that settlement planning around Jerusalem has continued and increased in pace, with 770 units in Gilo receiving final approval on 7 December.