UK, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway and Canada Jointly Condemn E1 Settlement Tender

Seven Western governments — the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Canada — issued a joint statement on August 20, 2026 condemning Israel's August 18 tender for 1,234 housing units in the E1 settlement corridor east of Jerusalem, calling the move 'unacceptable' and warning of 'legal and reputational consequences' for any businesses that participate in the bidding. The statement urged Israel to 'retract these plans immediately' and warned the roughly 12-square-kilometer E1 project would sever East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank, undermining the territorial contiguity required for a viable Palestinian state. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the condemnation; Egypt, Malaysia and UN leadership separately voiced opposition. The statement followed the UK's individual condemnation and ambassador summons a day earlier.