Full Breakdown
European Powers Condemn Israel’s E1 Settlement Tender Amid Ongoing West Bank Expansion
8/22/2026, 9:08:51 PM
European Condemnation of the E1 Tender
On 20 August 2026 the United Kingdom, Italy, France and Germany issued a joint statement denouncing Israel’s decision to publish construction tenders for the E1 settlement project in the occupied West Bank. The statement also urged businesses to avoid bidding on the project, citing potential “legal and reputational consequences” and “serious breaches of international law.”
Israeli Tender Details and Timeline
The Israeli housing ministry released a tender on 19 August 2026 for 1,234 units out of the 3,401 housing units approved by the Israeli government the previous August. The tender covers roughly 12 sq km (4.6 sq mi) between East Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim. Bids must be submitted by 19 October, just days before Israel’s general election on 27 October, a timing that could limit a future government’s ability to reverse the contracts.
Background of Settlement Expansion
Since the 1967 Middle East war, Israel has built about 160 settlements housing 700,000 Jewish residents in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, areas Palestinians claim for a future state alongside Gaza. An estimated 3.3 million Palestinians live alongside these settlements. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, identified as an ultranationalist settler, has publicly stated that the idea of a Palestinian state is “being erased.” Expansion accelerated after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power in late 2022 and after the Gaza war that began on 7 October 2023. Opponents argue the E1 project would split the West Bank, severing the north from the south and blocking a contiguous Palestinian urban area linking Ramallah, East Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
Official Statements & Responses
The United Kingdom, Italy and France echoed similar concerns, emphasizing that settlement expansion threatens a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on a two-state solution.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This hinders the path—demanded by the international community and the International Court of Justice—towards ending the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, thereby jeopardizing the prospect of a negotiated two-state solution.” — Martin Giese, foreign ministry spokesman — Martin Giese, foreign ministry spokesman
