EU calls on Israel to halt E1 settlement plan, address settler violence

EU calls on Israel to halt E1 settlement plan, address settler violence The European Union urged Israel to revoke its tender for construction in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank, reiterating that Israeli settlements are illegal under international law. A statement by the EU's High Representative, released on Sunday, stated that the E1 settlement project "fundamentally harms the prospect of the two-state solution" by isolating East Jerusalem, and urged the Israeli government to halt all kinds of settlement expansion projects. The statement also drew attention to "record levels of settler violence" across the occupied West Bank, and called on the government to ensure accountability for it. It reaffirmed the EU's "unwavering commitment" to peace based on the two-state solution, in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions. The E1 settlement plan, which involves the construction of over 1,200 housing units for Israeli settlers across the occupied West Bank areas, has drawn international condemnation from various states, including Belgium, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.