Key facts
- The EU has called on Israel to halt its E1 settlement plan in the occupied West Bank.
- The EU reiterated that Israeli settlements are illegal under international law.
- The EU highlighted concerns over record levels of settler violence in the West Bank.
- The E1 settlement plan is seen as undermining the prospects for a two-state solution.
- Six European nations issued a joint statement condemning the E1 settlement project.
The European Union has strongly urged Israel to halt its controversial E1 settlement plan in the occupied West Bank, emphasizing that such construction is illegal under international law and fundamentally undermines the prospects for a two-state solution. The EU's High Representative released a statement on Sunday, noting that the E1 project would isolate East Jerusalem and called on the Israeli government to cease all settlement expansion.
The statement also drew attention to what it described as "record levels of settler violence" across the West Bank, urging the Israeli government to ensure accountability for these actions. The EU reaffirmed its commitment to peace based on the two-state solution, in line with UN Security Council resolutions.
The E1 settlement plan, which involves building over 1,200 housing units for Israeli settlers, has faced widespread international condemnation from numerous countries, including Belgium, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
Additional reports indicate that the Israeli government approved a plan for 3,401 housing units in the E1 area last August, with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich proclaiming it would "bury the idea of a Palestinian state." Bedouin Palestinians and Israeli peace groups are challenging the plan in court, while the Ministry of Construction and Housing has issued a tender for 1,234 units in seven residential compounds, with bids due by October 19. Peace Now described this as a "last-minute maneuver" to secure long-term conflict and hinder future peace arrangements.
Human Rights Watch stated that the E1 project represents the "erasure of Palestinians, their homes, and their livelihoods," warning that companies bidding on the construction could be complicit in war crimes. J Street called for immediate action from the U.S. White House and Congress, highlighting that the E1 project would sever East Jerusalem from the West Bank and restrict Palestinian movement, forming part of a systematic effort to undermine Palestinian statehood.
The United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary, Ed Miliband, called the tender publication "unacceptable and destructive," pledging that Britain would not stand by and accept the destruction of the two-state solution. He indicated that the UK would set out measures to respond to Israeli policies, including targeted sanctions against those involved in illegal settlement expansion.
Leaders from six European nations—France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, and Britain—issued a joint statement condemning the E1 settlement project as "unacceptable" and warning it would "drive a wedge through the West Bank." They also cautioned businesses against participating in the tenders, citing potential legal and reputational consequences.