Over 400 Former Diplomats Urges EU To Act Against Major Israeli Settlement Plan In West Bank.

Brussels; May 2026: More than 400 former European ministers, ambassadors and officials today (06th May 2026) have urged European Union leaders in an open letter to “act now” against what they described as Israel’s “illegal annexation” in the occupied West Bank through the East 1 project, which plans to build thousands of homes. The 448 signatories, including former European Commission Vice-President Josep Borrell and former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, said: “The European Union and its member states, in cooperation with partners, must take immediate steps to deter Israel from continuing its illegal annexation of Palestinian land in the West Bank”.

Israel has approved the E1 project in August 2025. The plan would effectively divide the occupied West Bank into two parts, threatening any geographical connection to a future Palestinian state. In December, Israel issued a tender to build 3,400 housing units across an area of 12 square kilometres east of Jerusalem. The United Nations, the European Union and several leaders have called on Israel to abandon the project.

The signatories said “the Israeli government intends on 1st June to launch detailed tenders for the development of the E1 project area”. They added that “the European Union and its member states must therefore act now, particularly at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on 11th May”.

Moreover, Israeli authorities have ordered the demolition of nearly 50 shops and commercial facilities in the Palestinian town of Al-Eizariya, southeast of East Jerusalem, as part of measures paving the way for a controversial settlement project in the area, Palestinian officials said Wednesday, Anadolu Agency reports. The Jerusalem Governorate said in a statement that Israeli authorities verbally notified around 50 Palestinians to evacuate their businesses in the Al-Mashtal area at the main entrance to Al-Eizariya before Sunday (10th May) morning. The statement said the move aims to implement demolition orders originally issued in August 2025.

According to the governorate, Israeli authorities warned that the facilities and their contents would be demolished if owners failed to comply within the specified timeframe. Palestinian officials said appeals against the demolition orders have been submitted to an Israeli court, with hearings expected later this month.

The governorate and municipal authorities linked the demolitions to the “E1” settlement project, which aims to connect the Maale Adumim settlement bloc with East Jerusalem. Palestinian officials warn that the plan would effectively divide the occupied West Bank into northern and southern sections and isolate several Palestinian communities. The municipal authorities also said the project includes a separate road infrastructure system involving tunnels and segregated roads for Palestinians and Israeli occupiers.

The E1 project has faced widespread international criticism for years over concerns it would undermine the territorial continuity of a future Palestinian state. Last week, the Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission said Israel carried out 37 demolition operations in the occupied West Bank during April, affecting 78 Palestinian structures, including homes, agricultural facilities and sources of livelihood.

According to Palestinian officials, Israel approved the E1 master plan in 1999 on approximately 12,000 dunams of confiscated Palestinian land, with later plans including settlement units, industrial zones, hotels and public parks. Although Israeli governments repeatedly advanced the project, parts of it were frozen under international pressure, including plans announced in 2020 for 3,500 settlement units.

The international community and the UN consider the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, an occupied Palestinian territory and view Israeli settlements there illegal under international law.

In a landmark opinion in July 2024, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

In a major political boost for the European Union, today – on 06th May 2026, Slovenia has joined Spain in urging EU to protect independence of ICC, UN on Gaza. It is noteworthy that since the historic opinion of ICJ, US President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), including measures targeting its judges, over cases related to Israel.

Today while joining with Spain – Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob voiced strong support for Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s appeal for Europe to take action, according to a government statement shared on the US social media platform X.

“Europe’s response so far has not matched the gravity of the situation. We need to act now because fundamental European values cannot carry a price tag. The independence of international courts is non-negotiable”, Golob reportedly said. The statement also warned against threats targeting international justice and the rule of law.

Last Wednesday (29th April 2026) Sanchez had called on the European Commission to activate the Blocking Statute “in order to protect the independence of the International Criminal Court and the United Nations, and their actions to end the genocide in Gaza. Spain is not looking the other way. Sanctioning those who defend international justice puts the entire human rights system at risk. The EU cannot stand idly by in the face of this persecution”, Sanchez had written on X.

The Blocking Statute is EU legislation prohibiting European companies from complying with US sanctions imposed beyond American jurisdiction.

Team Maverick.