The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Karas, urged Israel to halt its plan to build settlements in the "E1 Zone" of the West Bank, warning that this move further undermines the "two-state solution" and violates international law.
Xinhua News Agency reported that Karas issued a statement on Thursday (August 14) saying that if Israel's plan is implemented, it will permanently cut off the geographical and territorial connection between occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, and sever the connection between the northern and southern parts of the West Bank.
The statement reaffirmed the EU's call for Israel to stop building settlements, emphasizing that Israel must cease its settlement policies, including demolition, forced relocation, eviction and confiscation of housing. The statement pointed out that these unilateral measures by Israel, coupled with the ongoing settler violence and military actions, are intensifying local tensions and further eroding the possibility of peace.
The statement also said that the EU urged Israel to stop advancing the decision on settlement construction in Zone E1 and pointed out the need to consider taking action to maintain the feasibility of the "two-state solution".
Israeli Finance Minister Mott Rih issued a statement on Wednesday (13th) saying that he plans to approve the construction of 3,401 housing units in the "E1 Zone" between Jerusalem east and the Jewish settlement of Maal Adumin in the West Bank, a move aimed at "ruining the idea of a Palestinian state". Israel had previously frozen the settlement construction plan in Zone E1 for a long time.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem and parts of the West Bank during the Third Middle East War in 1967. For a long time, it disregarded the opposition of the international community and illegally built and expanded settlements. A population data report released by the Israeli government in December 2024 shows that approximately 510,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements built in violation of international law.
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