France, Italy, Germany and Britain have called on Israel to immediately halt a controversial settlement project in the occupied West Bank, warning that it could further undermine prospects for a two-state solution.
The E1 settlement plan, approved by Israel last year, would further separate occupied East Jerusalem from the West Bank. The area is predominantly inhabited by Palestinians.
In a joint statement, the four European countries expressed concern over the project amid what they described as unprecedented settler violence against civilians and severe restrictions on the Palestinian economy.
The European governments urged Israel to withdraw the plans and end settlement expansion in the West Bank. They also warned companies against participating in construction tenders, saying they could risk involvement in serious violations of international law.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has previously warned that the E1 project could pose an “existential threat” to the territorial contiguity of a future Palestinian state.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot also criticised the tenders, calling them unacceptable and warning that the project would seriously undermine the viability of a two-state solution.
Britain’s Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband had similarly called for an end to the project and settlement expansion, with London summoning Israel’s chargé d’affaires. Miliband said he had conveyed the message directly to Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar.
Saar rejected Miliband’s remarks, describing them as unacceptable and criticising what he called the “patronising tone” of the British minister’s comments.
He argued that Jewish people had the right to live throughout Israel, comparing it with the right of British citizens to live across the United Kingdom.
