The British Foreign Office summoned the Israeli chargé d'affaires in London to protest the Israeli government's tender for the implementation of the "E1" settlement project in the West Bank, and demanded its immediate withdrawal and a halt to expansion.
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband described the move as "unacceptable and destructive," warning that the project could separate the West Bank from East Jerusalem and undermine the viability of a geographically contiguous Palestinian state, thus threatening the two-state solution.
Miliband said he had informed his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar of the need to halt the project plans and withdraw the tender, stressing that London had informed the Israeli chargé d'affaires of its "deep objection" to the move and demanded its immediate reversal.
The "E1" area is located between occupied East Jerusalem and the Ma'ale Adumim settlement, and is considered one of the most sensitive areas in Israeli settlement plans, as Palestinians and international bodies fear that construction there will lead to the fragmentation of geographical communication between the northern and southern parts of the West Bank.
Britain confirmed that it will announce in the coming weeks a package of measures to respond to Israeli policies, including sanctions targeting individuals and entities involved in settlement expansion, which London considers to be in violation of international law.
