The , the , the and the called for a halt to the spread of settlements in , condemning settler violence and warning companies bidding for construction contracts.
“We call on the Israeli government to put an end to the expansion of settlements and its administrative powers, to ensure that the settlers who commit violence are held accountable for their actions and to investigate the allegations against the Israeli forces,” the four countries said in a joint statement, in which they also remind that “Israeli settlements in the West Bank they are illegal.”
“In recent months, the situation in the West Bank has deteriorated significantly. Settler violence has reached unprecedented levels,” the leaders of the four European countries remind.
“The policies and practices of the Israeli government, most notably the continued strengthening of Israeli control, undermine stability and the prospects for a two-state solution,” the statement added.
The four countries are also calling for the lifting of economic restrictions placed on the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian economy. “We are categorically opposed to those, including members of the Israeli government, who proclaim the annexation and forced displacement of the Palestinian population,” they stressed.
What are the European governments reacting to?
In August 2025, Israel approved the E1 plan that would cut the occupied West Bank in two, undermining the territorial continuity of a future Palestinian state. In December, the bidding process opened for the construction of 3,400 homes in a 12 square kilometer zone east of Jerusalem.
The UN, EU and many country leaders have called on Israel to stop this plan. “Companies should not bid” for this project, nor for other residential constructions, the four countries added in their statement, warning that they would face “legal consequences” and tarnish their reputations for their involvement in such projects.
