The powers of Europe demand that Israel cease its expansion of settlements

European powers demand Israel halt expansion of settlements European nations have intensified their international condemnation of a settlement project in occupied West Bank following Israel’s announcement of a tender for over 1,200 homes in the area. The Israeli government-approved plan would further separate East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed and which has a predominantly Palestinian population, from the rest of the West Bank. In a joint statement, Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom expressed deep concern over the decision, particularly amid heightened instability in the region with unprecedented violence against civilians by settlers and severe economic restrictions imposed on Palestinians. The European countries urged Israel to immediately withdraw these plans and end its expansion of settlements in the West Bank. They emphasized that international law clearly states that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal. This stance aligns with the position of the international community, reaffirmed by the UN Security Council. UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the E1 plan as an “existential threat” to the territorial continuity of a future Palestinian state. Belgium’s Foreign Minister, Maxime Prevot, called the tenders “unacceptable,” warning that the project could seriously undermine the viability of a two-state solution. His remarks echoed a similar call from British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, who demanded the termination of the project and the expansion of settlements in the West Bank. London also summoned Israel’s ambassador to express its concerns. In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar dismissed the criticism, stating that the Jewish people have the right to live throughout the land of Israel, just as the British can live in London and the entire UK. The E1 plan aims to build approximately 3,400 homes in a strip of land between Jerusalem and the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim. According to the Israeli NGO Peace Now, the latest tender covers more than 1,200 housing units. Last year, France and the United Kingdom were among 21 countries that condemned the approval of the E1 project, calling it a violation of international law. In 2026, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs of the UN reported an average of six incidents per day involving Israeli settlers in the West Bank. These included thefts, vandalism, arson, assaults and, in some cases, killings. Palestinians have complained that most crimes committed against them remain unpunished. In the northern part of the territory, home to numerous Palestinian communities and few settlers, tensions have remained relatively low. However, under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, settlers have returned to four isolated settlements, Homesh, Sa-Nur, Ganim and Kadim, that had been evacuated under a plan approved 21 years ago.