Around 500 former European diplomats, ministers, and senior officials have called on the European Union and its member states to take action against a large-scale Israeli settlement project in the occupied West Bank. The project, known as E1, has drawn widespread criticism and is expected to further isolate occupied and annexed East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank. The signatories include former prime ministers and foreign ministers from several European countries.
The E1 settlement project involves the construction of over 1,200 housing units near Jerusalem and has been approved by Israel despite being frozen for decades under pressure from successive US administrations. An Israeli court recently ordered a one-month delay in the tender for the project to prevent it from affecting parliamentary elections scheduled for late October. The project has been criticized for jeopardizing prospects for the establishment of a future Palestinian state.
The diplomats, including former French prime ministers Dominique de Villepin and Alain Juppé, criticized the European Union's position on the issue, saying it has taken no action to prevent the implementation of the E1 project and has failed to fulfill its obligations under European treaties to act against violations of international law. They welcomed measures taken by some EU member states at the national level against illegal settlements but criticized others for obstructing the adoption of measures at the European level.
The signatories called on the European Commission to immediately put forward legislative proposals to impose sanctions on all financial institutions and other service providers involved in implementing the E1 project and establishing other illegal settlements. They also urged the EU to ban all EU trade with illegal settlements and implement proposals aimed at suspending the trade provisions of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
The diplomats' call for action comes as Israel continues to expand settlements in the West Bank, with over 500,000 Israelis living in settlements that are illegal under international law. Israeli occupation forces and settlers have killed at least 1,112 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the genocide, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.
The signatories also included former European Parliament presidents Josep Borrell and Enrique Barón Crespo, as well as former prime ministers from Belgium, Italy, and Sweden. They urged the EU to adopt the measures at the next meeting of EU foreign ministers on October 12. The issue has sparked widespread concern and criticism from various quarters.
The Israeli settlement expansion has been a contentious issue, with many countries and international organizations calling for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The European Union has been urged to take a stronger stance against Israeli settlement expansion and to support efforts to establish a Palestinian state.
Key points
- The European Union has been criticized for not taking sufficient action against Israeli settlement expansion.
- The E1 settlement project has been approved by Israel despite being frozen for decades under pressure from successive US administrations.
- The diplomats' call for action includes imposing sanctions on financial institutions involved in implementing the E1 project and banning EU trade with illegal settlements.
