Germany has urged Israel to halt its latest West Bank settlement expansion, warning that it breaches international law and threatens the viability of a two-state solution.
Berlin’s statement came after Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich unveiled plans for 3,400 new housing units in the E1 corridor between East Jerusalem and the Maale Adumim settlement.
Critics argue the project would sever the West Bank into northern and southern zones, rendering a contiguous Palestinian state impossible.
The German Foreign Ministry reaffirmed it would only recognise border changes agreed upon by both parties and stressed that settlement construction violates UN Security Council resolutions.
The E1 area has long been a flashpoint, with the United Nations and European Union opposing development there. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned the move further undermines peace efforts and urged Israel to desist.
Israel captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967, and more than 700,000 settlers now live among around three million Palestinians. While the international community views the settlements as illegal, Israel considers the territory disputed.
The plan emerges amid escalating tensions and a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza due to Israel’s ongoing military operations against Hamas.
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