IRIA News

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World leaders have condemned Israel’s decision to advance the E1 settlement project in the occupied West Bank, warning that the plan could fragment Palestinian territory and further undermine prospects for a two-state solution.

The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Norway jointly urged Israel to withdraw the plans, while Egypt and Jordan separately rejected the project and called for international action to stop settlement expansion.

The European governments said the E1 development was “unacceptable” and warned that it could drive a wedge through the West Bank, damaging the territorial continuity needed for a viable Palestinian state.

The six EU member countries urged Israel to immediately retract the plans and end settlement expansion across the occupied West Bank. They also warned businesses against bidding for construction tenders linked to the project, citing potential legal and reputational consequences.

Joint statement from the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway and Canada. pic.twitter.com/eoVzRYAwHV

— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) August 20, 2026

The governments said their position was based on longstanding opposition to Israeli settlements and reaffirmed their support for a comprehensive and lasting peace based on a two-state solution.

The United Nations has also raised concerns over the project. UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the E1 plan as an “existential threat” to the possibility of a contiguous Palestinian state.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband separately called for Israel to halt the project and settlement expansion, while Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar rejected the criticism and defended Israel’s position.

Egypt and Jordan reject settlement expansion

Egypt also strongly condemned Israel’s move, saying the E1 project aims to divide the West Bank and isolate occupied East Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings.

Cairo called on the international community to take serious steps to halt settlement activity and reaffirmed its support for an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967, borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Jordan also condemned Israel’s decision to issue tenders for 1,234 settlement units in the E1 area. Jordanian Foreign Ministry spokesman Fuad Al-Majali said Amman “rejects absolutely” the project, arguing that continued settlement activity entrenches the occupation and undermines international efforts toward a two-state solution.

He also cited the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion concerning Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territory and called on the international community to press Israel to halt settlement expansion.

Israel’s E1 Plans

The E1 area covers about 12 square kilometers east of Jerusalem, between the city and the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim.

Israel approved plans last year for roughly 3,400 housing units in the area. The latest tender covers more than 1,200 units, with bids due by October 19, 2026, shortly before Israel’s scheduled October 27 election.

The project is intended to expand Maale Adumim toward Jerusalem and establish a large settlement development in the corridor between the two areas.

Palestinian officials and international critics argue that construction in E1 could make it more difficult to maintain territorial continuity between northern and southern parts of the West Bank while further separating East Jerusalem from the wider Palestinian territory.

Israeli rights groups Peace Now, Ir Amim and Bimkom have also opposed the project, warning of its wider implications for the future of the West Bank.

The latest developments have placed E1 back at the center of international concern over settlement expansion, with European governments, Egypt and Jordan warning that construction could further weaken the prospects for establishing an independent and geographically connected Palestinian state.