Britain summons Israeli diplomat to protest new settlement project

The UK Foreign Office summoned Israel’s chargé d’affaires and lodged a protest over a plan to build Israeli settlements in the area between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim.

UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband described the move as an “unacceptable and destructive act,” warning that it would put “the viability of the two-state solution” at risk, Caliber.Az reports.

“Israeli Government must halt E1 plans immediately, retract the tender and stop all settlement expansion,” he said, adding that he had conveyed the message directly to his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Sa’ar. Miliband stressed that the UK would not stand by and “stand back and accept the destruction of the Two-State Solution.”

“In the coming weeks we will set out a comprehensive set of measures to respond to Israeli government policies, protect the viability of the Palestinian state, target sanctions at those who participate in illegal settlement expansion and support a just and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians,” Miliband stressed.

Known as the E1 plan, the project envisages construction in the area between Jerusalem and the Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Adumim. It would thereby expand the area of Israeli settlement around East Jerusalem beyond the “Green Line” — the internationally recognised boundary of Israel — into the Palestinian territories.

Earlier, the Israeli government gave final approval to the E1 project for the construction of new settlements in the West Bank.

By Jeyhun Aghazada