Four European powers issued a joint statement condemning the E1 building plan, calling the decision 'unacceptable' and warning it will further harm Israel's international standing. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich responded, telling British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband 'the British Mandate in the Land of Israel has ended.'
The Zioneer reports that the UK, France, Germany, and Italy issued a joint statement on Thursday evening condemning Israel's E1 building plan. The statement, published after British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband expressed strong opposition to the project, declared the decision 'unacceptable' and warned it would 'further harm Israel's status.' Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich responded directly to Miliband, stating that 'the British Mandate in the Land of Israel has ended' and rejecting what he termed patronizing foreign pressure.
As The Zioneer previously reported, Israel began marketing approximately 1,400 housing units in the E1 corridor between Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim last month. The project has drawn repeated international criticism, with Western governments arguing it undermines the viability of a future Palestinian state. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has previously dismissed such criticism as one-sided and failing to account for Palestinian terrorism.
The joint statement marks the most coordinated European response to the E1 initiative to date. No immediate response was reported from other Israeli officials.
3 developments
- DevelopingUK advises businesses to avoid activity in settlements; six nations impose sanctions on settler violence enablers
- StrongPolitical analysis: Only 11 EU member states backed settlement trade restrictions
- DevelopingEight countries condemn Israeli activity in Judea and Samaria, call on UN Security Council to act
- DevelopingIsrael begins marketing of 1,400 housing units in E1, connecting Ma'ale Adumim to Jerusalem
Source and signal
- Open-source intake