LONDON (BERITAPOLITIK.ONLINE) — British Foreign Minister David Lammy on Thursday (8/14) urged Israel to stop the planned development of settlements in the West Bank, as well as warning that the step would be a “striking violation of international law” and greatly damage the prospects of the two-country solutions.
“Britain strongly opposes the Israeli government’s plan to build settlements in the E1 area, which will break the Palestinian state in the future into two parts,” Lammy said, adding that “the plan must be stopped now.”
Lammy’s statement was delivered following the announcement of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich about the plan to build around 3,500 residential units in the E1 area in the West Bank. Smotrich stated that the project would “bury” the idea of the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Area E1, a plot of land to the east of Jerusalem, located between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim settlement, is considered to be very controversial because the development in the area will effectively separate East Jerusalem from the northern West Bank. Development plans in E1 have been frozen for years, mainly because they have reaped opposition from the international community.
Lammy, together with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand and French European and Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, also discussed the need for “immediate ceasefire, liberation of all hostages, sending large-scale assistance, and plans to realize eternal peace” in Gaza.
The announcement was also made when Britain, among several other countries, hinted at the readiness to officially recognize the Palestinian state in September except Israel meets the main requirements, such as agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza.
“The situation in Gaza is very alarming,” Lammy said in a upload on social media on Thursday, warning that Israeli steps are increasingly endangering the two countries’ solutions.
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