European powers condemn Israel’s E1 construction plans in Judea, UK threatens sanctions

France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Germany on Thursday jointly condemned the Israeli government’s plans to advance construction in the E1 area of Judea and Samaria, internationally known as the West Bank.

"The decision by the Israeli government to publish bid offers for construction projects within the framework of the E1 settlers' project is unacceptable," the four European powers said in a joint statement. The condemnation came after Israel announced plans to market the first 1,400 of 3,412 planned housing units in the Samaria.

The four European governments, like much of the international community, oppose Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, which they consider “occupied territory” and therefore a violation of international law. Israel rejects that legal position, arguing that Judea and Samaria are disputed rather than occupied.

The British government went further in its condemnation of Israel, with Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announcing that Britain would prepare new targeted sanctions against Israelis involved in what it described as “illegal settlement expansion” in Gaza and the West Bank.

“The Israeli Government’s launch of tenders for the E1 settlement project is unacceptable and destructive. Britain will not stand back and accept the destruction of the two state solution,” British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband wrote on 𝕏.

The E1 area is considered strategically sensitive because of its location between Jerusalem and the Jewish city of Ma’aleh Adumim, which much of the international community considers an “illegal settlement.”

Critics of Israeli construction in E1 have argued that development there would undermine the geographic continuity of a future Palestinian state. However, even if Israel proceeds with construction in the area, Palestinian Authority-controlled territory would retain geographic continuity east of E1.

From an Israeli perspective, the E1 area is strategically important for strengthening Israel’s control of the Jerusalem area, which Israel considers its undivided capital.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar responded to Miliband’s criticism by saying he “rejected outright the statement of the UK Foreign Secretary and the patronizing tone of his words.”

"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," Sa'ar added.

The Israeli foreign minister also accused the British government of hypocrisy in its criticism of Israel.

"Britain itself still controls colonial territories thousands of miles from its shores. It is absurd for Britain to lecture the Jewish people about where they may live in their historic tiny homeland, when the Jewish people’s connection and right to this land is the most extensively documented of any people in human history," Sa’ar argued.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir went further in his criticism of Miliband.

"Someone should update Ed that the British Mandate for the Land of Israel ended in 1948 and that Israel is an independent state," Ben Gvir wrote on 𝕏.

"Perhaps instead of playing make-believe about the Mandate era, he ought to look out of the window at his London, which is rapidly turning into an Islamic Caliphate," he added, referring to the large-scale immigration from Muslim-majority countries to the UK and other Western countries.

Last month, newly elected British Prime Minister Andy Burnham vowed to take a tougher stance against Israel amid growing diplomatic tensions concerning the Middle East conflict.