International Law is contradicted by the E1 project in the West Bank, according to both the EU and UN.

Israel's Controversial Settlement Policy Under Scrutiny

, and ASMedia

2025 September 2 . 11:18 AM

2 min read

International Law is disputed as E1 project in the West Bank receives condemnation from both the EU... — International Law is disputed as E1 project in the West Bank receives condemnation from both the EU and the UN.

International Law is contradicted by the E1 project in the West Bank, according to both the EU and UN.

In a visit to the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim east of Jerusalem, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich presented Project E1, a plan aimed at expanding settlements in the West Bank. The project, as outlined by Smotrich, includes the construction of 3400 housing units.

However, the EU and UN have expressed concern over Project E1's potential impact. The core legal violations centre on breaches of international humanitarian law and UN resolutions that prohibit settlement activities in occupied territory and annexation by force, combined with serious human rights infringements on the Palestinian population.

The plan, if implemented, could undermine the two-state solution, as it would divide the Palestinian territory into two parts. This division, according to both the EU and UN, risks making a contiguous Palestinian state impossible.

The EU's High Representative and the foreign ministers of 21 countries unanimously condemned the approval of the E1 plan as a "blatant violation of international law" that "risks increasing violence and instability." The UN similarly condemned the project as an unlawful step furthering annexation and demanded cessation of settlement activity and evacuation of settlers.

The EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, stated that Project E1 would violate international law. She called on Israel to refrain from proceeding with the plan, stating that doing so would have "serious consequences." The UN Secretary-General's spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, reiterated that Project E1 would sever the North and South of the West Bank, potentially ending the two-state solution.

Minister Smotrich, however, indicated that Project E1 would result in the construction of houses, neighborhoods, streets, and Jewish families building their lives. He stated that the implementation of Project E1 would serve as a response to those who wish to recognize a Palestinian state.

Despite the controversy, the EU and UN have officially criticized Israel's Project E1 settlement plan. Spokesman Dujarric called on the Israeli government not to implement Project E1, citing its potential to violate international law and undermine the two-state solution.