DaysofPal – More than 400 former European ministers, ambassadors, and senior officials have called on the European Union to take immediate action against the Israeli “illegal annexation” of parts of the occupied West Bank.
In an open letter addressed to EU leaders on Wednesday, 448 signatories, including former European Commission Vice President Josep Borrell and former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, urged the bloc to move swiftly to deter Israel from advancing settlement expansion plans under the so-called E1 project.
The proposed E1 project aims to construct thousands of housing units east of Jerusalem, a move critics warn would effectively divide the West Bank into two parts and undermine the territorial continuity of a future Palestinian state.
The letter emphasized that the European Union and its member states, in coordination with international partners, must take “immediate steps” to halt the expansion.
The signatories highlighted concerns that the Israeli occupation is preparing to issue detailed tenders for the project as early as June 1.
Israel approved the E1 plan in August and December 2024, issued a tender for approximately 3,400 housing units covering around 12 square kilometers in the area east of Jerusalem.
The project has drawn widespread international criticism, including from the United Nations and EU officials, who have repeatedly called for it to be abandoned.
The former diplomats urged the EU to impose targeted sanctions as a minimum response, including visa bans and restrictions on business activities within the bloc against individuals involved in settlement expansion, particularly those promoting or executing the E1 plan.
The Israeli occupation has occupied the West Bank since 1967. Today, more than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements across the territory, excluding East Jerusalem, alongside roughly three million Palestinians.
The UN considers these settlements illegal under international law.
According to the Israeli anti-settlement organization Peace Now, the current Israeli government has significantly accelerated settlement activity, approving the construction of 54 settlements in 2025 alone, a record figure, and more than 100 since taking office in 2022.
The signatories warned that without swift action, developments such as the E1 project could further complicate prospects for a negotiated two-state solution.
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