The five European members of the UN Security Council on Monday warned businesses against bidding for construction contracts in Israeli settlements, citing legal and reputational consequences. The warning came as the countries voiced deep concern over deteriorating conditions in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
E5 Statement on Settlement Expansion
The statement was delivered by France’s permanent representative to the UN, Jerome Bonnafont, on behalf of France, Denmark, Greece, Latvia, and the UK ahead of a Security Council session on the secretary-general’s report on the implementation of Resolution 2334. The five nations noted that the resolution explicitly condemns settlement activity in the occupied West Bank and requires Israel to respect its obligations under international law, but said the Israeli government “continues to entrench its control” in violation of that resolution, Resolution 2803, and a broader push for regional security.
“While the international community is focused on restoring peace in response to challenges in other parts of the Middle East, we must keep our focus on the implementation of the Peace Plan and on the significantly deteriorating situation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem,” the five nations said.
Condemnation of Settler Violence and E1 Project
The countries, known as the E5, said they “strongly condemn the continued creation and expansion of Israeli settlements, as well as the repeated acts of settler violence against Palestinian civilians.” They called on Israel to halt settlement and administrative expansions, ensure accountability for settler violence, and investigate allegations of violations committed by Israeli forces.
They expressed particular alarm over Israeli construction plans in an area known as “E1” near Jerusalem and an eviction order targeting the Khan Al-Ahmar Bedouin community. The E1 project, the E5 said, “would divide the West Bank in two, further separate East Jerusalem, and constitute a deliberate and direct attack on the viability and contiguity of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State.” They warned it would mark “a flagrant violation of international law, and an unprecedented risk of annexation and forced displacement, which we firmly oppose.”
Business Warning and Humanitarian Concerns
In their statement, the E5 specifically urged businesses not to bid on construction contracts for E1 or other settlement projects, citing “legal and reputational consequences for businesses participating in settlement construction,” and rejected any measures that aim to alter the demographic composition, character, or status of the occupied territory, including East Jerusalem.
The European council members also underlined the importance of preserving the historical status quo at holy sites in Jerusalem, and condemned what they described as repeated violations that “pose a threat to regional stability.” They renewed calls for Israel to immediately resume transfers of tax revenues owed to the Palestinian Authority under the Paris Protocol, funds they said were “essential for the provision of basic services to the Palestinian population and the implementation of reforms.”
On humanitarian access, the E5 said it was “vital” that Israel allowed the UN, including UNRWA, and international NGOs to operate safely and at scale across the occupied territory in line with international humanitarian law. They described the demolition of UNRWA’s headquarters in East Jerusalem in January this year as “an unprecedented action against a UN agency” that undermined its ability to deliver services under its mandate, welcomed the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion in October 2025 on Israel’s legal obligations as an occupying power to facilitate humanitarian relief, and called on Israeli authorities to act in keeping with its international legal obligations.
Commitment to Two-State Solution
The five countries reaffirmed their “unwavering commitment to the two-state solution,” in line with UN resolutions and the New York Declaration. They stressed the need to unify Gaza with the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, under the Palestinian Authority, and to pursue a political process leading to “a just and lasting resolution” that would allow Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace, security, and dignity.
