London( The COW News Digital)Britain has strongly condemned Israel’s newly approved settlement plan in the occupied West Bank, warning that it represents a clear violation of international law and a direct threat to the viability of a future Palestinian state.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, in a strongly worded statement, said the settlement expansion would effectively divide Palestinian territories, undermining hopes for a two-state solution. “This plan is a blatant breach of international law and risks splitting a future Palestinian state into disconnected parts,” Lammy declared, urging Israel to withdraw the decision immediately.
The controversial plan, known as the E1 project, was formally endorsed by Israel’s Defense Ministry planning commission this week, after being initially announced days earlier by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The project aims to expand Jewish settlements in the corridor between East Jerusalem and the central West Bank.
Critics argue that implementing the E1 project would sever the territorial continuity between the northern and southern parts of the West Bank, effectively isolating East Jerusalem from Palestinian communities. Human rights organizations and international observers warn such a move could make the creation of a viable Palestinian state impossible.
Lammy stressed that the UK has consistently opposed settlement construction, echoing the stance of the United Nations and the European Union, which consider Israeli settlements illegal under international law. “Israel should immediately reverse this decision before it causes irreparable harm to peace efforts,” he said.
Israel’s settlement expansion has long been a focal point of international criticism. Successive Israeli governments have continued to expand housing units in occupied territory despite global opposition. Palestinian officials denounced the E1 plan as another attempt at annexation, warning that it will deepen tensions and fuel unrest across the region.
The announcement has triggered widespread condemnation, with major powers including the United Nations reiterating that settlement construction violates the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits occupying powers from transferring their own population into occupied land.
Israel captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War, and the status of these territories has remained one of the most contentious issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. With the E1 plan now moving forward, observers fear renewed clashes and a further collapse of already fragile peace prospects.
