O ver 440 former European Ministers, Ambassadors & Senior Officials call on EU Leaders to act against Israeli annexation of the E1 area of the West Bank
Call for EU action
The EU and its Member States, together with partners, must take immediate action to deter Israel from further advancing its illegal annexation of Palestinian land in the West Bank through the construction of a huge new illegal settlement bloc in the pivotal E1 area. Israel’s aim is to bisect the West Bank in two and wreck any prospects of a “two state solution”. To this end the Israeli government intends to publish on 1 st June an initial tender for construction in the E1 area of 3401 residential “units” to provide housing for up to 15,000 illegal settlers. This E1 tender is proceeding despite persistent efforts by the EU and like-minded countries over many years to engage Israel in a critical dialogue to prevent it from illegally acquiring Palestinian land by force. The EU and its Member States must act now - including at the Foreign Affairs Council of 11 th May - to oppose, together with partners, Israeli illegal settlement actions notably those in the E1 area. As an initial response, the EU must - at a minimum - impose targeted sanctions, including visa bans and prohibitions on doing business in the EU on all those engaged in illegal settlement activity, in particular those promoting, tendering for and implementing the E1 Plan. These entities and individuals include politicians, settler leaders, the Israeli ‘Land Authority’, representatives of local authorities, planners, lawyers, architects, engineers, developers, contractors, banks and other financing institutions. There is no longer room for hesitation and ambiguity. The E1 red line is about to be crossed . We must act collectively, individually and, above all, act now .
The complete text of the call is attached for your review.
