Key Developments
On 24 August 2026, the European Commission condemned Israel’s E1 West Bank settlement tender and urged its withdrawal. The Government Offices of Sweden published the same EU position, which said the plan harmed prospects for a two-state solution and that settlements were unlawful under international law.
Key Statistics
- More than 1,200 housing units were included in the E1 tender, according to the European Commission
- Historical context: 1,300 settler-related incidents were cited by HM Government
- Historical context: 900 Palestinians were reported injured in the same HM Government statement
- Historical context: 3,200 Palestinians were reported displaced by HM Government
- Historical comparison: an 80% increase in settlement expansion was cited by HM Government
Main Body
On 24 August 2026, the European Commission said the EU High Representative had condemned Israel’s tender for the E1 settlement project in the West Bank and called on Israel to withdraw it. The European Commission said the plan would damage the two-state solution and increase tensions in the West Bank.
The European Commission said the tender covered more than 1,200 housing units and urged Israel to stop settlement expansion. The Government Offices of Sweden also published the High Representative’s statement and said the EU position was that settlements were illegal under international law.
The announcement followed related diplomatic action. On 21 August 2026, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs published a joint statement by Germany, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom opposing the E1 tenders. On 19 August 2026, HM Government said the UK Foreign Secretary had summoned Israel’s Chargé d’Affaires and demanded that the plans stop.
The issue mattered for regional diplomacy because the European Commission tied the E1 plan directly to the viability of a negotiated two-state outcome. The wider security context was also significant, as HM Government had earlier linked West Bank instability to settler violence, displacement and settlement growth.
