London, Aug. 20 (SANA) Britain summoned Israel’s charge d’affaires over the E1 settlement tender in the occupied West Bank, demanding its immediate withdrawal.
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband described the tender as an “unacceptable and destructive act,” saying he told Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar that Israel “must halt E1 plans immediately, retract the tender and stop all settlement expansion.”
Israel has opened tenders for about 1,200 homes in the occupied West Bank and approved more than 3,400 housing units for E1, an area east of Jerusalem.
“E1 would cut across the heart of Palestine and risks separating the West Bank from East Jerusalem, which would endanger the viability of a two-state solution,” Miliband said.
He said settlements undermine prospects for a two-state solution and constitute “a flagrant breach of international law.”
Israeli charge d’affaires Daniela Grudsky Ekstein was summoned and informed of Britain’s “profound objection” to the move. Israel has had no ambassador to Britain since Tzipi Hotovely’s term ended in late 2025.
Miliband also pledged a “comprehensive set of measures” in response to Israeli government policies, including sanctions targeting those involved in illegal settlement expansion and measures to protect the viability of a Palestinian state.
In June, Denmark, Greece, France, Latvia and the UK warned businesses against seeking contracts for the E1 project, describing it as a “deliberate and direct attack” on the viability of a Palestinian state that could lead to annexation and forced displacement.
Separately, British Minister for the Middle East Stephen Doughty called on Israel Wednesday to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, saying current aid flows were “simply too low.”
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