The British Foreign Office issued a sharp rebuke to Israel following the publication of construction plans for 1,400 initial housing units in the E1 area, a strategically sensitive zone near the settlement of Ma'ale Adumim. Development in E1, located between Jerusalem and the West Bank, has been largely frozen for years due to international pressure, but was recently approved by the Israeli government.
Britain summoned Israel's representative for a formal reprimand and made clear it would take action against the move. During the meeting, British officials demanded the immediate cancellation of the construction plans.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband described the initiative as "unacceptable and destructive," warning it risks completely severing the West Bank from East Jerusalem. He characterized the plan as "killing the two-state solution."
London announced it will unveil measures in the coming weeks, including potential sanctions targeting those involved in settlement expansion. The threatened penalties could extend to construction companies working in the area.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar rejected the British statement, asserting: "The Jewish people have the right to live throughout the Land of Israel, just as the British have the right to live in London."
Sa'ar went further, calling the British response hypocritical and audacious, adding: "This is arrogance. You yourselves still control colonial territories."
