Israel Advances E1 Settlement Plan; Eight Nations, UK Condemn Action

Foreign ministers from eight nations, including Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, issued a joint statement condemning Israel's ongoing settlement policies in occupied Palestinian territory.

They specifically rejected the E1 settlement plan and related activities east of occupied East Jerusalem. The ministers renewed their condemnation of settler violence and violations against Palestinians, emphasizing these actions breach international law and threaten regional peace. They warned the E1 plan is a dangerous escalation that severs West Bank contiguity and threatens a Palestinian state.

The ministers called for immediate action to halt the E1 scheme and backed accountability measures, including international sanctions. The UK government announced it will introduce measures against Israel over the new settlement construction. UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband warned the project threatens a two-state solution and urged Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar to halt E1 plans.

The Israeli government advanced the E1 settlement plan in the occupied West Bank, with the Housing Ministry issuing a notice inviting bids for the construction of over 1,200 housing units. The E1 project aims to create a continuous bloc of Jewish settlements from East Jerusalem to the West Bank, which critics say would divide the West Bank into north and south.

Peace Now, an Israeli settlement watchdog, called the bid invitation a last-minute maneuver by the current Israeli government. The bids are due one week before Israeli elections at the end of October. The UN secretary general stated the plans posed an existential threat to a future Palestinian state. A joint statement from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Canada called the plans unacceptable and said they would drive a wedge through the West Bank.

The European Union echoed this sentiment. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also condemned the E1 project. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in September that "We are going to fulfill our promise that there will be no Palestinian state." International law prohibits Israel from settling occupied land.