France, UK, Germany, Italy ask Israel to stop new settlement plan

France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy have issued a joint demand for Israel to "immediately withdraw" its expansionist settlement plans in the occupied West Bank, specifically targeting the E1 project. The four European powers stated that the controversial plan, intended to divide the northern and southern West Bank and isolate East Jerusalem, would not only move peace further away but also continue to weaken Israel's position on the international stage.

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We urge the Israeli government to immediately withdraw these projects and to end the expansion of settlements in the West Bank. These measures will not only move us further away from peace but will continue to weaken Israel's position on the international stage.

The Israeli government recently announced a new tender for 1,234 housing units within the E1 plan. This move comes despite widespread international rejection and a judicial appeal filed in June, to which Israel is expected to respond in September. The proposed housing represents nearly half of the 3,401 units initially approved for the project a year prior.

In a strong warning, Paris, London, Berlin, and Rome urged companies not to consider bidding on these construction tenders. They highlighted the potential legal and reputational repercussions, particularly the risk of complicity in "serious violations of international law." The joint statement underscored that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal, a position consistently affirmed by the international community and the United Nations Security Council.

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Companies must not consider submitting bids for these construction projects. They must be aware of the legal and reputational consequences, particularly the risk of becoming complicit in serious violations of international law.

The four capitals emphasized that the E1 settlement "will compromise the prospects of a two-state solution by creating a division across the West Bank and undermining the territorial continuity of the Palestinian Territories." Their coordinated stance reflects a unified European opposition to the settlement expansion and its implications for regional stability and the peace process.

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International law is clear: Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal. This is the position of the international community, reaffirmed by the United Nations Security Council.