Germany urges Israel to halt West Bank settlement construction

Germany has called on Israel to stop settlement construction in the West Bank, criticizing plans for thousands of new housing units in the long-disputed E1 area near Ma’ale Adumim. The announcement came after Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich confirmed that work would begin on 3,401 new homes a move his office said would “bury” the idea of a Palestinian state.

“Germany firmly rejects the Israeli government’s announcements regarding the approval of thousands of new housing units in Israeli settlements in the West Bank,” a German foreign ministry spokesperson said Friday. Berlin argued that the E1 project would effectively split the West Bank in two and cut it off from eastern Jerusalem, severely restricting Palestinian movement.

The E1 plan, which has been delayed for decades due to international opposition, aims to link Ma’ale Adumim home to 40,000 residents directly to Jerusalem through residential neighborhoods, commercial zones, and hotels. Supporters see it as essential for strengthening Israel’s hold on the area, while critics warn it would make a contiguous Palestinian state nearly impossible.

Germany reiterated its position that settlement expansion in the West Bank violates international law and UN Security Council resolutions, and said such actions complicate efforts to achieve a negotiated two-state solution.

The clash over E1 reflects long-standing tensions between Israel and key European allies over settlement policy, with Berlin joining other governments in pressing Jerusalem to reconsider the move.

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