LONDON/PARIS, Aug 20 (Xinhua) -- Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Canada issued a joint statement on the 20th condemning Israel's 'E1' settlement construction plan and urging the Israeli government to immediately withdraw it.
The seven nations said in the statement that Israel's announcement of a tender for the 'E1' settlement project is 'unacceptable.' The project would split the West Bank, undermine the contiguity of Palestinian territory, and damage the prospect of a 'two-state solution.'
The statement stressed that international law clearly deems Israel's settlements in the West Bank illegal -- a position held by the international community and backed by the UN Security Council.
It noted that the situation in the West Bank is already volatile, settler violence against civilians has reached unprecedented levels, and the Palestinian economy is severely constrained, making Israel's push for the settlement plan all the more worrying.
The seven nations urged Israel to immediately withdraw the 'E1' plan and halt settlement expansion in the West Bank. They also called on businesses not to participate in related construction tenders, warning of potential legal and reputational risks.
The Israeli government issued a tender on the 18th for 1,234 housing units in the 'E1' area. In August 2025, Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich said he planned to approve 3,401 housing units in 'E1' aimed at 'burying the idea of a Palestinian state.' The high-level planning committee of the Civil Administration under the Defense Ministry subsequently approved the housing plan.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem and parts of the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war and has built Jewish settlements there. For a long time, Israeli forces have restricted the activities and movement of Palestinians, drawing strong opposition from the Palestinian side.
Source: Xinhua | Original
