The foreign ministers from around 20 nations, including Portugal, along with the head of European diplomacy, have urged Israel to “immediately reverse” its “unacceptable” plans for new settlements near Jerusalem.
In a joint statement, signed by Portugal’s Minister of State and Foreign Affairs, Paulo Rangel, they condemned the Israeli Higher Planning Committee’s approval of settlement plans in the E1 area, east of Jerusalem, deeming it a violation of international law.
The signatories called for the “immediate reversal” of this decision, which involves the construction of 3,400 housing units that would obstruct access to Jerusalem from the occupied West Bank, complicating the creation of a contiguous Palestinian state.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich confirmed the decision, asserting it “practically erases the illusion of ‘two states’,” and consolidates Jewish control over key areas. The joint statement highlighted that Smotrich and Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir are banned from entering the Netherlands and Slovenia due to their far-right positions.
The diplomats warned that Smotrich’s comments indicate the plan would make a two-state solution impossible, dividing any future Palestinian state and limiting access to Jerusalem. They cautioned that expanding settlements could exacerbate security issues and lead to increased violence, moving further away from peace.
This position from Benjamin Netanyahu’s government comes just weeks before the United Nations General Assembly, where countries like France, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Portugal plan to recognize the State of Palestine.
The statement emphasized that Israel still has a chance to halt the E1 plan and urged the government to withdraw it urgently. The ministers stressed that Israel’s unilateral actions threaten the shared goal of security and prosperity in the Middle East and called for an end to settlement construction in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016) and the lifting of financial restrictions on the Palestinian Authority.
The joint statement, shared on the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ social media, is endorsed by ministers from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, also supported this position, stating, “We condemn this decision and call for its immediate revocation in the strongest terms.”
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