European powers urge Israel to halt E1 settlement plans

France, Germany, Italy and the UK call new Israeli tenders unacceptable and warn the project could undermine the prospects for a two-state solution

France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom are urging Israel to abandon plans to expand settlements in the West Bank, warning that the E1 settlement project could undermine the territorial basis for a future Palestinian state.

In a joint statement, the four governments described Israel’s decision to issue new tenders for construction in the E1 area as “unacceptable.” They said the international community has repeatedly made clear its opposition to settlement expansion and has raised its concerns with the Israeli government both publicly and through diplomatic channels.

The governments said construction in E1 risks breaking the territorial continuity of the West Bank and creating a divide across the Palestinian territories, thereby further weakening the prospects for a two-state solution.

France, Germany, Italy and the UK also reiterated their position that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law, citing a position they said has been reaffirmed by the United Nations Security Council.

Their warning comes against the backdrop of what they described as an increasingly severe situation in the West Bank, marked by unprecedented levels of settler violence against civilians and significant restrictions affecting the Palestinian economy.

The four countries called on Israel to withdraw the settlement expansion plans immediately and to refrain from taking further steps to advance settlements in the West Bank. Such measures, they said, “not only move us further away from peace” but could also further damage Israel’s international standing.

The statement also put companies involved in the tender process on notice. The four governments said businesses should not participate in the bids and should carefully consider the potential legal and reputational consequences of doing so, including the possibility of being viewed as complicit in serious violations of international law.

France, Germany, Italy and the UK reaffirmed their commitment to what they described as a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on a two-state solution, and said they would continue to work toward that goal.

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