European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Sunday stepped up international pressure on Israel over plans for new construction in the E1 corridor between Yerushalayim and Ma’ale Adumim, calling on the Israeli government to abandon the project and claiming it would further undermine the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state.
Kallas issued the criticism after Israel on Tuesday published a tender for seven residential complexes containing a total of 1,234 housing units in E1. The construction is part of roughly 3,400 housing units that received approval for the area last August.
In a statement addressing the Israeli move, Kallas said the tender “fundamentally harms the prospect of the two-state solution.”
She claimed, “Implementation of the E1 plan would divide the West Bank in two, isolating East Jerusalem, and further eroding the viability of a two-state solution.” She later added, “The EU position is clear: Israel’s settlements in the West Bank, including in the E1 area, are illegal under international law.”
Kallas called on the Israeli government to reverse course not only on the E1 project, but also on broader construction efforts in Judea and Samaria.
“We urge the Government of Israel to withdraw the tender, halt its E1 plans as well as all other settlement expansion projects, and ensure accountability for settler violence,” Kallas wrote.
She concluded by reiterating the European Union’s longstanding support for the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
“The EU reaffirms its unwavering commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace and security within secure and recognised borders,” she concluded.
The EU criticism came days after seven countries issued their own coordinated condemnation of the Israeli construction plans. The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada and Norway released a joint statement Thursday urging Israel to cancel the E1 project.
The seven governments labeled the tender “unacceptable,” arguing that Israel had moved forward despite repeated international objections to construction in Judea and Samaria.
“The E1 settlement will undermine the prospect of the two-state solution by driving a wedge through the West Bank and harming the territorial contiguity of the Palestinian Territories,” the countries said.
The governments further warned that advancing the project could harm both diplomatic efforts toward an Israeli-Palestinian agreement and Israel’s standing internationally. They also discouraged companies from participating in the Israeli tenders, warning of potential “legal and reputational consequences” and claiming that involvement could expose firms to allegations of participating in serious breaches of international law.
The seven countries again emphasized their backing for the creation of a Palestinian state through negotiations with Israel.
“We reiterate our commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution,” they said, adding that they would continue efforts toward that goal.
The Trump administration has also weighed in on the controversy. A State Department spokesperson told Axios on Friday that Washington remains opposed to Israeli annexation of Judea and Samaria.
“As the President has clearly stated, the US does not support Israel annexing the West Bank. A stable West Bank keeps Israel secure and is in line with this Administration’s goal to achieve peace in the region,” the spokesperson told Axios.
{Matzav.com}
