The UAE and fellow Arab and Islamic nations, as well as seven western countries, called on Israel to halt its E1 settlement project in the occupied West Bank on Friday.
A statement signed by the foreign ministers of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt called for “immediate action” to stop the E1 settlement plan and related measures. It also demanded a stop to all Israeli settlement activities and other measures “aimed at altering the geographic and demographic character of the occupied Palestinian territory”.
The ministers said they would support international measures and sanctions against entities and individuals responsible for settlement activities, including the E1 project, as well as “those supporting, facilitating or implementing policies of settlement expansion and annexation”.
A separate statement issued by the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Canada warned businesses of “consequences” if they bid for construction tenders in the E1 project.
They described Israel’s decision to publish tenders as “unacceptable”, and urged the Israeli government to end its expansion in the West Bank.
The western leaders said it would “undermine” the prospect of the two-state solution by “driving a wedge” through the West Bank, “take us further from peace” and “further undermine Israel’s international standing”.
The statement, which included President Emmanuel Macron, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Prime Minister Andy Burnham, adds to mounting European criticism of Israeli policies in the Palestinian territories and pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to change course.
The E1 settlement scheme is a widely opposed Israeli plan that would cut across land Palestinians seek to create a state.
Israel has opened tenders for about 1,200 homes to be built in the West Bank, with a deadline set before October’s general election.
It has approved more than 3,400 housing units for E1, a tract of land east of Jerusalem, which has been under consideration for development for more than two decades but was frozen due to US pressure during previous administrations.
“At a time of grave instability in the West Bank with unprecedented levels of violence by settlers against civilians and serious restrictions on the Palestinian economy, this decision is even more concerning,” the western leaders said.
They also warned businesses against taking part in the scheme. “They should be aware of legal and reputational consequences including the risk of involving themselves in serious breaches of international law”.
Though the European Union has introduced sanctions against extremist Israeli settlers, it has stopped short of suspending its association agreement with Israel, the framework for EU-Israeli trade, economic and political co-operation, due to disagreement among member states.
On Wednesday, Britain’s Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband summoned Israel’s charge d'affaires over the issue.
He said the British government would prepare targeted sanctions against Israelis participating in “illegal settlement expansion” in Gaza and the West Bank, in the latest sign of the Labour Party's hardening stance towards Israel.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar responded the following day, saying he rejected Mr Miliband's statement and its “patronising tone”.
