Britain condemns Israel’s tender for a controversial E1 settlement project and demands an immediate halt to settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.
WEB DESK: The United Kingdom has summoned Israel’s chargé d’affaires to protest against a controversial Israeli settlement plan in the occupied West Bank, as London called for an immediate halt to the proposed expansion.
The move followed Israel’s issuance of a tender for the development of the E1 settlement project, a plan that has drawn strong international opposition.
UK condemns E1 settlement plan
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the UK had summoned Israel’s chargé d’affaires over the development.
Lammy called on Israel to immediately halt the E1 project, withdraw the tender and stop further expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The British government has repeatedly expressed opposition to settlement expansion, arguing that such moves undermine prospects for a negotiated political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Australia protests over Gaza aid worker deaths
Separately, Australia has summoned the Israeli ambassador to protest over the death of an Australian aid worker in Gaza.
The diplomatic action followed Israel’s decision not to initiate criminal proceedings over the deaths of aid workers in a 2024 airstrike.
According to the Australian government, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had previously acknowledged that the strikes on the vehicles carrying aid workers were linked to serious failures in following military procedures, mistaken identification and errors in decision-making.
Israel says no basis for prosecution
The Israeli military said on Wednesday that it found no basis for further action against its personnel over the deaths of seven aid workers from the World Central Kitchen (WCK) charity.
The incident has remained a source of diplomatic tension between Israel and countries whose citizens were among those killed.
The latest British and Australian diplomatic actions come amid continued international scrutiny of Israel’s policies in the occupied West Bank and its military operations in Gaza.
Settlement expansion remains international flashpoint
Israel’s settlement policy in the occupied West Bank remains one of the most contentious issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The E1 area, located east of Jerusalem, has particular geopolitical significance because development there could affect territorial continuity between Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
The UK government’s latest protest adds to growing international pressure on Israel over settlement expansion and the broader situation in the occupied Palestinian territories.
