Get the latest news and updates from Dawn
PARIS: France, Italy, Britain and Germany on Thursday piled on mounting international condemnation of a major settlement project in the occupied West Bank, after Israeli authorities opened bidding for more than 1,200 homes in the area.
The E1 plan was green-lit by Israel last year and would further separate east Jerusalem, occupied and annexed by Israel and predominantly inhabited by Palestinians, from the West Bank.
“At a time of grave instability in the West Bank with unprecedented levels of violence by settlers against civilians, and serious restrictions on the Palestinian economy, this decision is even more concerning,” the joint statement from Paris, Rome, Berlin and London said.
“We urge the Government of Israel to retract these plans immediately and end its expansion of settlements in the West Bank,” it added, warning businesses against bidding for the construction tenders at risk of “involving themselves in serious breaches of international law”.
