European countries have stepped up their criticism of Israel in recent months, and even stalwarts like Merz and Meloni – prominent conservative EU leaders – have taken a tougher stance on the prospect of expansion.
A video this week showing Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir mocking activists who Israel detained on their way to deliver supplies to Gaza took that criticism to a new level.
In their joint statement, the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom called on Israel to stop settlement expansion, ensure accountability for settler violence and “respect the Hashemite custodianship of the Holy Sites of Jerusalem and the historical arrangements of the status quo.” They have also called on Israel to lift financial sanctions on the Palestinian Authority.
The statement added that companies bidding for construction in the E1 development zone should be “aware” of potential legal consequences. Furthermore on Friday, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Rob Jetten announced that the Netherlands will ban products from illegal settlements in Israel.
Last season, the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also criticized Israel for developing the E1 housing program. He warned that the construction of settlements in the area would “absolutely reduce the geographical and territorial cohesion between occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank” and “sever the connection between the north and south of the West Bank.”
