UK to lay out 'measures' against Israel over West Bank settlements
The UK government has said it will announce "measures" against Israel over new settlement construction east of Jerusalem that would effectively cut the occupied West Bank in two.
In a statement on Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband warned that the project – tenders for which were opened this week – poses a threat to a two-state solution in the region.
Miliband indicated that he made it clear to the Israeli foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, that the "Israeli government must halt E1 plans immediately, retract the tender and stop all settlement expansion".
"The impact of settler violence and terrorism has been catastrophic for Palestinian communities. Settlement expansion and attempts to create irreversible divisions on the ground threaten peace, security and the prospects for a viable Palestinian state," he said.
Israel issued a tender on Tuesday for the construction of 1,234 settlement units in the southern part of the E1 plan east of occupied Jerusalem, moving one of the most controversial settlement schemes from the approval and planning stage towards land marketing and practical implementation.
The tender covers seven settlement complexes over approximately 12,000 dunams between Jerusalem and the settlement of Ma'ale Adumim and comprises interconnected residential, industrial and tourism plans, as well as roads and infrastructure networks.
'The Israeli government must halt E1 plans immediately, retract the tender and stop all settlement expansion...The impact of settler violence and terrorism has been catastrophic for Palestinian communities'
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Ed Miliband, UK foreign secretary
In his statement, Miliband said that the UK will not "stand back and accept the destruction" of the two-state solution, adding that London "will set out a comprehensive set of measures" in the coming weeks, including sanctions targeting those involved in illegal settlement expansion.
UK Minister of State for the Middle East Stephen Doughty has also joined Miliband in condemning Israel, describing the move as a "deliberate and destructive act designed to undermine a two-state solution".
Last week, Middle East Eye exclusively reported that the UK government was preparing to announce new policies on Israel in September, including a ban on goods produced in settlements and possible sanctions on individuals, organisations and additional Israeli ministers linked to the settler movement.
MEE also reported that London was considering further restrictions on arms sales to Israel.