EU Demands Israel Scrap 1,200-Home E1 Plan, Warns of West Bank Split
European Commission spokesperson Anouar El Anouni told a daily press briefing that the project would carve up the occupied West Bank and cut off East Jerusalem, eroding the viability of a future Palestinian state.
“The Israeli government has published a call for tender for the construction of more than 1,200 homes as part of the E1 project, and this undermines the prospects for a two-state solution,” El Anouni said.
“The implementation of the E1 project would split the West Bank into two. It would isolate East Jerusalem and further erode the viability of a two-state solution,” he added.
He said the tender comes as instability grows in the West Bank and violence by settlers reaches record levels.
“This is not taking place in a vacuum. It’s part of an ecosystem where we’re seeing increased instability in the West Bank and record levels of violence by violent settlers,” he said.
“Our answer is very clear. Settlers in the West Bank, including in the E1 area, are illegal under international law, and this is why we have called on the Israeli government to withdraw this call for tenders. E1 project and all projects to expand colonies and to ensure that those responsible for violence in the area are held accountable.”
El Anouni reaffirmed that the bloc remains committed to a two-state solution anchored in a UN Security Council resolution.
“Our solution here has always been to be committed to the two-state solution. We call for a lasting peace based on a two-state plan following a UN Security Council resolution with two democratic states, Israel and Palestine. Living side by side in peace and security within recognized borders,” he said.
Asked about the latest bloodshed in the West Bank, he said the EU condemns terrorism and violence against civilians while stressing the importance of freedom of movement.
“The EU condemns all acts of terrorism and violence against civilians. That is very clear,” he said.
The Israeli army said Friday that two of its soldiers were killed and three others seriously wounded in a shooting attack in the city of Hebron. Three more soldiers were moderately wounded, according to the army.
The statement followed an earlier shootout in which Israeli forces killed two Palestinians accused of opening fire on settlers in Hebron and wounding five. The army then announced a full closure of Hebron and several surrounding towns.
Israeli military operations and settler attacks have intensified across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since Israel launched its war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023. The violence has included killings and arrests of Palestinians, demolitions of homes and other structures, burnings of mosques and vehicles, destruction of farmland, restrictions on farmers’ access to their fields, and the displacement of Palestinian communities, alongside illegal settlement expansion.
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