Germany has called on Israel to stop the controversial E1 settlement project, warning that the plan could fuel further instability in the occupied West Bank and the wider region.
A spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry said on Friday that Berlin is urging Israel to abandon the project, stressing that it risks escalating tensions on the ground.
Speaking at a regular government press briefing, the spokesperson said the E1 settlement plan forms part of a broader intensification of settlement activity in the West Bank, a trend Germany has observed in recent months.
“The planned E1 settlement project is part of a comprehensive expansion of settlement policy in the West Bank,” the spokesperson said, adding that such moves threaten to worsen the already fragile security situation.
Germany warned that the project would further restrict the movement of Palestinians in the West Bank and significantly undermine prospects for a two-state solution. Berlin has consistently opposed settlement expansion, arguing that it violates international law and damages the chances of achieving a negotiated peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
The E1 area, located east of Jerusalem, is considered highly sensitive because development there could sever the territorial contiguity of a future Palestinian state, a concern repeatedly raised by European and international officials.
Germany’s statement adds to growing international pressure on Israel over settlement activity, as tensions continue to rise across the West Bank amid ongoing regional instability.
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