Saudi Arabia, Pakistan Reject Israel’s E1 Settlement Plan

Eight Nations Reject Israel’s E1 Settlement Plan

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkiye and five other Arab and Muslim countries have strongly rejected Israel’s plan to build more than 1,200 settlement homes in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank. The countries warned that the project could seriously threaten the possibility of establishing a geographically connected Palestinian state.

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan Demand Immediate Halt

Foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkiye, Qatar and Egypt expressed their complete opposition to the settlement project. They called for the plan to be stopped immediately and warned that continued settlement expansion could further complicate efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Why the E1 Area Is Strategically Important

The E1 area lies east of Jerusalem and is considered strategically important because construction there could divide the West Bank into separate areas. The Arab and Muslim countries said the project could also further separate the West Bank from East Jerusalem, which Palestinians claim as the capital of a future state.

More Than 1,200 Homes Included in Tender

Israel’s Ministry of Construction and Housing issued a tender for 1,234 housing units in the E1 area. The wider development plan covers about 3,400 homes across a roughly 12-square-kilometre area. The proposal has previously faced strong criticism from Palestinian officials, European countries and Israeli rights groups.

Countries Warn of Threat to Palestinian State

The eight countries said the settlement plan could undermine the territorial continuity of the occupied Palestinian territories. They argued that continued settlement construction could make the creation of an independent and contiguous Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders increasingly difficult.

UN and International Opposition

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres previously warned that the wider E1 development posed a serious threat to the possibility of a contiguous Palestinian state. The latest tender has again increased international criticism of Israel’s settlement policy in the occupied West Bank.

Calls for Sanctions Over Settlement Activities

The foreign ministers also condemned settlement expansion and violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians and their property. They called for international sanctions against individuals and organisations involved in settlement activities and against those providing financial or other support for such projects.