Britain has intensified its position regarding Israeli settlement policies in the West Bank, urging Benjamin Netanyahu's government to immediately halt the settlement project in the E1 area and withdraw the associated tender. This move aligns with London's announcement of preparations for a broad package of measures and sanctions in response to continued settlement expansion.
On Wednesday, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband stated that the issuing of the tender is considered "unacceptable and destructive," warning that its implementation would separate the West Bank from East Jerusalem. This separation would practically endanger the possibility of establishing a viable Palestinian state and undermine the chances of a two-state solution.
Miliband revealed that he directly informed Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar of the necessity to stop the project and withdraw the tender, in addition to halting settlement expansion operations.
In addition to political positioning, the British Foreign Office summoned the Israeli chargé d'affaires and expressed the UK's strong rejection of the move, demanding that Netanyahu's government immediately retract it.
The British Foreign Secretary confirmed that the UK views settlements as a flagrant violation of international law. He noted that the continued expansion of settlements, along with violence perpetrated by settlers, directly threatens the chances of establishing a Palestinian state.
Miliband emphasized that Britain "will not stand idly by" in the face of what he described as the destruction of the two-state solution, revealing that the British government will announce a comprehensive package of measures in the coming weeks.
This package is expected to include sanctions targeting individuals and entities involved in expanding settlements considered illegal by London, alongside other steps deemed necessary by the British government to protect the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state.
The E1 project is one of the most sensitive settlement issues due to its location between East Jerusalem and the Ma'ale Adumim settlement. Palestinian and international warnings are frequently voiced that construction in this area could undermine geographical contiguity within the West Bank and complicate any future two-state solution settlements.