British Foreign Secretary: We will not accept the displacement of the Palestinians or the continuation of the illegal occupation

London - Ofoq News - British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband warned that Israel's plans to build new settlements in the E1 area of ​​the occupied West Bank threaten the chances of establishing a Palestinian state, stressing that London will not stand idly by in the face of continued displacement of Palestinians and settlement expansion.

Miliband said, in a statement published on the official website of the British government, on Monday, that the Israeli government’s decision to launch tenders to build settlements in the region represents a direct threat to the two-state solution, and has sparked widespread condemnation at the international level.

He added that Britain has introduced new powers that allow for the imposition of sanctions on individuals and companies involved in building illegal settlements, calling on companies and investors to refrain from participating in tenders related to the project.

The British Foreign Secretary warned of legal consequences and risks affecting the reputation of these companies, as well as the possibility of involvement in serious violations of international law.

He affirmed his government's commitment to taking additional measures against the settlements, including enacting legislation to ban the import of goods produced in them, and taking measures targeting the services that finance them or facilitate their activities.

He condemned the escalation of settler violence in the West Bank, pointing to recent attacks targeting officials from France, Belgium, and Poland, a representative of the Catholic Church, and an American journalist, and stressed that his government would not stand idly by while undermining the chances of a two-state solution.

The tender for the “E1” project was launched on August 18, and includes seven settlement complexes containing 1,234 housing units, out of 3,401 units approved within the plan.

The area is located between occupied East Jerusalem and the "Maale Adumim" settlement in the West Bank. The project raises international objections due to fears of its impact on geographical continuity between parts of the West Bank, and the difficulties it may entail in establishing a contiguous Palestinian state.