France, Italy, Britain and Germany called on Israel on Thursday to "halt the expansion of settlements in occupied West Bank territory" and "immediately withdraw" tenders issued this week for the construction of more than 1,200 housing units as part of the "E1" project.
The four countries stated in a joint statement that "at a time when the West Bank is experiencing severe instability characterised by unprecedented levels of settler violence against civilians and severe restrictions imposed on the Palestinian economy, this decision raises serious concern". They added that the E1 settlement "will endanger the prospects for a two-state solution, as it will create a division in the West Bank and undermine Palestinian territorial integrity".
Israel gave the green light in August 2025 to the "E1" settlement project, which includes the construction of approximately 3,400 housing units in the West Bank, occupied since 1967, specifically in an area of 12 square kilometres east of Jerusalem, between the Maale Adumim settlement and East Jerusalem.
The Israeli non-governmental organisation Peace Now indicated on Tuesday that the Israeli Ministry of Housing launched a tender on 18 August that includes the construction of more than 1,200 housing units within the project. The deadline for submitting bids is 19 October, a week before Israeli elections scheduled for 27 of the same month.
Paris, London, Berlin and Rome emphasised that these settlement-related decisions will continue to "weaken Israel's position on the international stage".
The four European countries considered opening tenders for the E1 project "unacceptable" and issued a warning to companies that might be tempted to participate. Their statement said: "Companies should not consider submitting proposals for these construction projects. They should understand the legal and reputational consequences, including the risk of complicity in grave violations of international law".
In a separate statement, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxim Prévot called the tender "unacceptable", noting that the project "could seriously undermine the viability of a two-state solution".
His condemnation came following a statement by his British counterpart Ed Miliband on Wednesday, who called for halting the project and the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, while London summoned the Israeli chargé d'affaires. Miliband said he conveyed the message directly to his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar.
Saar rejected the British statement on Thursday, criticising especially the "condescending tone" contained in it. He wrote on X that "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", accusing Britain of "holding Israel responsible for everything, ignoring Palestinian extremism". He considered that "the British government's decision to damage relations between countries is deeply regrettable", emphasising that "Israel will defend its rights, interests and people".
The British government committed on Wednesday to revealing "a comprehensive set of measures" in the coming weeks, including imposing sanctions targeting those who participate in "illegal settlement expansion".
