Von der Leyen: Israeli settlements are illegal and the E1 plan destroys the two-state solution

BRUSSEL, Aug. 22 (YPA) – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated on Saturday that the continuation of Israel’s settlement policy in the occupied Palestinian territories is illegal.

In a post on the X platform, von der Leyen reiterated the European Union’s rejection of the E1 plan and related settlement activities in East Jerusalem, saying that the Israeli government’s decision to issue tenders for the construction of the E1 settlement project is unacceptable.

She noted that the EU has long opposed this move, explaining that the E1 project would divide the West Bank, disrupt the geographical contiguity of the Palestinian territories, and undermine the two-state solution.

“We remain committed to a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution,” she added.

On Friday, the Foreign Ministers of Turkey, the UAE, Indonesia, Qatar, Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan condemned the continuation of illegal Israeli settlement activity and affirmed their categorical rejection of the E1 plan and settlement activities in occupied East Jerusalem.