In brief
The European allies and Canada released a joint statement condemning Israel’s plans to open tenders for a large new settlement project in the West Bank. The move, which would add more than 1,200 housing units in the strategically sensitive E1 corridor, was deemed illegal under international law and a threat to the prospects of a two‑state solution. Israel’s right‑wing coalition has accelerated settlement construction since 2022, especially after the Gaza war, and the tender’s deadline falls just before the October elections, limiting the ability of any future government to reverse the decision.
The joint statement by the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Canada describes Israel’s plan to open tenders for more than 1,200 homes in the occupied West Bank as “unacceptable” and urges the government to retract it immediately.
The five European allies and Canada, in a single statement released on Thursday, also linked their condemnation to the fact that all Israeli settlements are considered illegal under international law. They warned that the new construction would erode the last hopes of a contiguous Palestinian state and hasten the division of the West Bank into north and south.
The E1 corridor, situated east of Jerusalem, would literally cut through the West Bank, severing East Jerusalem from the west. Many observers say that such a move would make the two‑state solution impossible and would isolate East Jerusalem permanently.
Israel has built roughly 160 settlements housing about 700,000 Jews since 1967, and the current right‑wing coalition, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has accelerated expansion since late 2022, especially after the Gaza war that began on 7 October.
On Wednesday the housing ministry issued a tender for 1,234 of the 3,401 units approved last August. The deadline for bids is 19 October, just days before the planned national elections, effectively locking the decision in place for any subsequent government.
In a separate statement, the UN Secretary‑General and Belgium’s foreign minister also branded the E1 project an “existential threat” to a contiguous Palestinian state. The Israeli foreign ministry, meanwhile, expressed a strong rejection of the Western criticism, calling the condemnation “right‑wing propaganda.”
For more context, read the BBC’s coverage of the tender release: Israel opens up bids for highly sensitive West Bank settlement project.
