BERLIN, Aug 15 — Germany has urged Israel to abandon its latest settlement expansion plans in the West Bank, voicing deep concern over the potential impact on peace efforts and the daily lives of Palestinians.
The call comes after Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, announced that work would soon begin on the long-debated “E1” settlement project, involving thousands of new housing units. The plan, which includes building 3,401 homes for Israeli settlers between the Maale Adumim settlement and Jerusalem, would effectively split the West Bank in two and cut it off from East Jerusalem.
In a statement, Germany’s foreign ministry did not mince words: it “firmly rejects” the Israeli government’s latest move, warning that such actions will further limit Palestinian mobility, deepen divisions, and make a two-state solution even harder to achieve.
Smotrich’s office has openly said the project would “bury” the idea of a Palestinian state, a position that directly challenges decades of international consensus and U.N. Security Council resolutions.
For years, Berlin has been a vocal critic of settlement construction, stressing that it violates international law and hinders peace talks. By approving the E1 settlement, Germany warns, Israel risks further isolating itself diplomatically and pushing the region deeper into conflict rather than towards dialogue and resolution.
