The joint statement released on Thursday characterized the construction plan as a breach of international law and demanded the immediate reversal of this decision.
According to recent announcements, Israel intends to proceed with the construction of a settlement on a 12-square-kilometer stretch of land known as “East 1” or “E1”, located east of Jerusalem. This development, intended for 3,400 new homes for Israeli settlers, will effectively sever significant parts of the West Bank from East Jerusalem and link existing Israeli settlements.
East Jerusalem is particularly significant to Palestinians, as it is a top choice for the capital of a future Palestinian state.
The 21-nation coalition asserted that such plans could render any attempt at a two-state solution impossible, severing a potential Palestinian state and restricting Palestinian access to Jerusalem.
Among the countries supporting this statement are Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
Deputy Prime Minister @SimonHarrisTD has joined 21 counterparts from Europe and around the world in condemning plans for settlement construction in the E1 area of the West Bank. These plans violate international law & pose a fundamental threat to the two-state solution – they must be reversed. pic.twitter.com/FTmIbDZbEv
— Irish Foreign Ministry (@dfatirl) August 21, 2025
The group of countries also highlighted that the settlement could undermine security, fuel violence, and further destabilize the region, providing no benefits to the Israeli population.
Both the Palestinian Authority, the European Commission, and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres have previously voiced opposition to the E1 settlement plan, since Israel announced its intentions
“In conjunction with ongoing settler violence and military operations, these unilateral actions are exacerbating an already tense situation and diminishing the prospects for peace,” the European Union stated on August 14.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a member of the political far-right, suggested that settlements like E1 would help erase the concept of Palestine, a stance in stark contrast to the growing international recognition of Palestinian statehood among UN member states.
“This reality finally buries the idea of a Palestinian state, as there’s nothing to recognize and no one to recognize,” Smotrich declared last week.
