Seven Western countries condemn new Israeli settlement plan

Pars Today — Seven Western countries have condemned Israel’s decision to publish tender documents for the E1 settlement project in the occupied West Bank, stressing that the move violates international law.

According to Pars Today, citing IRNA, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada, and Norway said in a joint statement on Thursday that Israel’s decision to issue construction tenders for the E1 settlement project is unacceptable and called on Tel Aviv to immediately withdraw the plan.

The statement said that the international community has long opposed the expansion of settlements in the area and has repeatedly voiced its serious concerns, both publicly and privately.

The seven Western countries warned that implementing the E1 project, by creating a divide across the West Bank, would undermine the territorial contiguity of Palestinian areas and weaken prospects for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

They also stressed that international law is clear on the illegality of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a position that has been repeatedly reaffirmed by the United Nations Security Council.