Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is calling for Israeli officials responsible for "egregious abuse" of Canadian activists to be held accountable, after its forces intercepted a Gaza-bound flotilla earlier this week and detained hundreds of activists involved in the aid effort.

ROME, May 22 (Reuters) - Israel must halt the expansion of settlements in the West Bank and curb growing settler violence, seven major Western nations said on Friday, accusing the Israeli government of aggravating tensions in the West Bank.