West Bank Settlement Plans
Canada, European allies condemn Israel’s West Bank settlement plans
Ottawa: Canada and six European countries condemned Israel’s decision to publish construction tenders for the E1 settlement project in the West Bank, warning that the plan could undermine the prospects of a two-state solution.
In a joint statement, the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom called the decision “unacceptable” and urged the Israeli government to immediately withdraw the plans and halt settlement expansion in the West Bank.
The leaders said the E1 project could “drive a wedge through the West Bank", damaging the territorial contiguity of the Palestinian territories and making a negotiated two-state solution more difficult.
They also reiterated their position that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law, citing the longstanding position of the international community and the United Nations Security Council.
The statement comes amid what the leaders described as “grave instability” in the West Bank, including unprecedented levels of settler violence against civilians and serious restrictions affecting the Palestinian economy.
The seven countries also warned businesses against bidding for the construction tenders, citing potential legal and reputational consequences and the risk of involvement in what they described as serious breaches of international law.
“We urge the Government of Israel to retract these plans immediately and end its expansion of settlements in the West Bank,” the leaders said, warning that the move would further undermine prospects for peace and Israel’s international standing.
The leaders reaffirmed their support for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on a two-state solution and said they would continue to work toward that objective.
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