EU Demands Israel Cease E1 Settlement Expansion in West Bank
European Commission spokesperson Anouar El Anouni released a statement declaring that publishing the tender deadline for 3,401 housing units within the E1 blueprint—combined with advancement of the "Sovereignty Road" construction—amounts to "a serious provocation."
The 27-member bloc additionally expressed alarm over settlement schemes in Atarot and Nahalat Shimon within East Jerusalem.
El Anouni characterized Israel's settlement policy as "an obstacle to peace, carries the risk of further instability in the West Bank, displacement of thousands of Palestinians, fragmentation of the West Bank, and encourages further actions by violent settlers."
He stressed that persistent expansion further erodes prospects for a viable two-state resolution, with Jerusalem serving as the shared capital of both nations.
"The EU urges the Government of Israel to immediately reverse the expansion of settlements, which are illegal under international law, following months of acceleration and intensification of approvals of new settlement plans in the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem," he said.
The EU additionally pressed Israel to fulfill its international legal responsibilities and guarantee protection for the Palestinian population residing in occupied areas.
In a separate development, Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos revealed via a post on US social media platform X that he participated in a Friday phone conversation alongside EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, emphasizing "the importance of diplomacy in de-escalation and the need to preserve regional security and stability."
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