Belgium has condemned Israel’s plan to build 1,200 homes in the occupied West Bank, warning that the project would split the territory in two and seriously damage the prospects for a two-state solution.
Belgium's Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot (Les Engagés) described the plans as “unacceptable” in a post on X. He said the project would undermine any realistic chance of establishing a viable Palestinian state.
Late on Tuesday, Israel launched a tender for the so-called E1 project. The scheme involves the construction of 1,200 homes between East Jerusalem and the settlement of Ma'ale Adumim. The area is widely seen as one of the most sensitive flashpoints in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Under international law, all Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory are considered illegal.
🇮🇱 The Israeli government's decision to launch tenders for over 1,200 housing units in the E1 area is unacceptable. It jeopardizes the prospects for peace and security that we all want for Israelis and Palestinians.
E1 would cut the West Bank in two, separating Palestinian… — Maxime PREVOT (@prevotmaxime) August 20, 2026
The E1 plans have prompted particular concern because they would effectively divide the West Bank into two. If carried out, they would make a contiguous Palestinian territory impossible.
Several European countries have already condemned the proposal and urged Israel to halt settlement expansion. Prévot said Belgium supports that position. He said the plans "put at risk the prospect of peace and security that we all want for Israelis and Palestinians".
He called on the Israeli government to withdraw the tender, stop the E1 project and end further settlement expansion.
