UK, 21 Countries Condemn Israeli E1 Settlement Plan as Violation

Israel's approval of the E1 settlement plan, which authorizes approximately 3,400 housing units east of Jerusalem, has drawn widespread international condemnation for threatening to sever the territorial continuity of the West Bank and isolate East Jerusalem from surrounding Palestinian areas. A coalition of 21 countries, including the UK, France, Japan, and the EU, issued a joint statement denouncing the plan as a violation of international law and called for its immediate reversal, emphasizing that it undermines the prospects for a two-state solution. UK Foreign Minister David Lammy described the plan as a flagrant breach of international law that would divide a future Palestinian state and urged Israel to reverse the decision. UN Secretary-General António Guterres also condemned the expansion, linking settlement construction to the need for a ceasefire in Gaza and insisting that all settlement activity must stop as it violates international law. The coalition further urged Israel to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which calls for cessation of settlement activities and lifting restrictions on Palestinian Authority finances. The E1 plan is seen as a move consistent with the broader “Greater Israel” vision promoted by right-wing Israeli leaders, raising concerns about the future stability and viability of a Palestinian state.