Ramallah: The Palestinian Authority on Thursday welcomed a joint statement from France, Germany, Italy, and the UK condemning Israel's escalation of violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

According to Anadolu Agency, Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh expressed appreciation for the joint written statement issued by the foreign ministers of those countries, describing it as "an important stance" in protecting civilians and halting the attacks. Al-Sheikh emphasized the significance of supporting international efforts to secure a two-state solution and ensure peace and stability.

In their joint statement issued Wednesday, the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, and the UK highlighted data from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) showing that Israeli settlers carried out 264 attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank in October. This figure represents the highest monthly number since UNOCHA began documenting such incidents in 2006.

The statement read, 'We strongly condemn Israel's escalation of violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. We call on Israel to fulfill its obligations under international law and to protect the Palestinian population. Israel must hold those responsible for these attacks accountable and prevent further violence.'

The ministers also noted that more than 3,000 illegal housing units had been approved over the past three weeks under the E1 plan, which aims to expand Ma'ale Adumim, one of the largest Israeli settlements built on Palestinian land.