Westjordanland: Staaten drängen Israel zu Rücknahme von Siedlungsplänen

Deutschland and six other nations have urged Israel to withdraw plans for highly controversial settlement construction in the West Bank. A joint statement from the German states added that expansion of settlements in the West Bank must cease. The settlement project pushes away a peace solution and further damages Israel's international reputation.

Besides Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, and Norway backed the statement. The Israeli Ministry of Construction had announced an auction for building more than 1,200 housing units for the project late on Tuesday evening. Specifically, it concerns the so-called E1 area between East Jerusalem and the settlement Maale Adumim.

The area is regarded as one of the most sensitive points in the conflict between Israel and Palestinians. A total of 3,400 housing units are planned. Building in the area would effectively divide the West Bank into a northern and a southern part, making it difficult or even impossible to create a contiguous territory for a future Palestinian state.

Israel has repeatedly postponed such plans under international pressure in the past. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) had harshly criticized the plans on Wednesday. The statement also warned economic companies in Germany, Italy, Great Britain, France, Canada, Norway, and the Netherlands to refrain from applying for construction tenders.

"They should be aware of the legal and reputational consequences, including the risk of being involved in serious violations of international law," the statement further read. The Israeli government's decision to publish tenders for building the E1 settlement project was deemed unacceptable. International law clearly states that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal, and this is the stance of the international community, reaffirmed by the UN Security Council.