European Leaders Demand Israel Halt West Bank Settlements
European governments jointly demanded Israel cancel West Bank settlement construction plans, warning the development threatens a future Palestinian state and advising companies against bidding.
I reject outright the statement of the UK Foreign Secretary and the patronising tone of his words.
The Jewish people have the right to live throughout the Land of Israel, just as the British have the right to live in London and throughout the United Kingdom. More than a century… https://t.co/eCazg1CU7A
— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) August 20, 2026
According to Brussels Signal, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Norway and Canada released a coordinated statement on August 20 following Israel’s announcement of tenders for over 1,200 housing units in the contested E1 area east of Jerusalem.
Israel’s Construction and Housing Ministry published the tender on August 18, covering seven residential compounds totaling 1,234 units, as reported by the Israeli anti-settlement organization Peace Now. The deadline for bids falls on October 19, just days before Israel’s parliamentary elections scheduled for October 27.
The seven Western leaders characterized the decision as “unacceptable” and called on the Israeli government to immediately withdraw the plans. They expressed particular concern given ongoing settler violence in the West Bank and economic restrictions placed on Palestinian communities.
In an unusual move, the governments also issued a warning to private companies, advising them against submitting bids for the construction contracts. The statement cited legal and reputational risks, as well as potential complicity in what the seven governments describe as serious violations of international law.
The E1 project represents part of a larger development plan for 3,401 housing units in an area situated between East Jerusalem and the Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Adumim. Israeli authorities approved the broader plan in August 2025.
The site spans approximately 12 square kilometers and is currently subject to legal proceedings in the Jerusalem District Court, brought by Palestinian Bedouin communities and Israeli advocacy organizations.
European governments and international bodies have consistently warned that construction in the E1 corridor could sever the territorial continuity of the West Bank, making a geographically coherent Palestinian state impossible to achieve.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has previously described the E1 project as an “existential threat” to the two-state solution. His spokesman Stéphane Dujarric stated on August 19 that Guterres was “deeply alarmed” by the newly announced tender.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot joined the criticism on August 20, calling the tenders “unacceptable” and stating that the project would gravely undermine prospects for a two-state resolution.
European Council Positions Harden
The coordinated statement reflects months of escalating European opposition to Israeli settlement expansion, as Brussels Signal reports.
At its June 18-19 meeting, the European Council explicitly urged Israel to reverse settlement expansion, including in E1, and formally stated that Israeli settlements in the West Bank violate international law. The Council also acknowledged the European Commission’s intention to present policy options regarding trade with settlements ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on July 13.
A separate joint statement issued May 22 and signed by 12 governments plus the EU specifically warned businesses against participating in E1 construction tenders.
The European Union’s position draws partly from the International Court of Justice’s July 19, 2024 advisory opinion, which determined that Israel’s continued presence in occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and called for an end to settlement activity.
Implementation Remains Elusive
Despite the firm rhetoric, EU member states have not yet translated their position into concrete measures. At the July 13 Foreign Affairs Council meeting, ministers reviewed a Commission options paper outlining potential responses including an import licensing regime, prohibitive tariffs, or an outright ban on settlement goods, but reached no agreement.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas acknowledged after the meeting that “the option that got the most support was banning the trade with illegal settlements,” though no decision was finalized.
The Council did adopt limited sanctions on May 28 against four entities and three individuals under the EU’s global human rights sanctions regime, targeting those deemed responsible for abuses in the West Bank.
Israel Rejects European Pressure
Israeli officials have forcefully rejected the European criticism. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar dismissed British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband’s demand to halt the project, rejecting what he described as a patronizing tone in the British statement and asserting that Jewish people have the right to live throughout the Land of Israel.
Sa’ar suggested that the British government’s approach was damaging bilateral relations between the two countries.
With information from Brussels Signal
