Hundreds of European Officials Demand Brussels Stop 'Illegal Annexation' of West Bank

A broad group of 448 former European ministers, ambassadors, and officials has issued an urgent appeal to the European Union leadership, demanding immediate intervention to halt Israeli annexation policies in the occupied West Bank. The open letter, released on Wednesday, emphasized the seriousness of the 'E1' settlement project, describing it as an illegal step that undermines peace prospects and destroys the geographical contiguity of Palestinian territories.

The list of signatories included prominent political figures, among them Josep Borrell, former Vice-President of the European Commission, and Guy Verhofstadt, former Belgian Prime Minister. These officials affirmed that Brussels and member states, in coordination with international partners, have a moral and legal responsibility to take concrete actions to prevent Israel from proceeding with its plans to gain full control over strategic areas deep within Palestinian territory.

The 'E1' project, approved in August 2025, is considered one of the most dangerous settlement schemes, aiming to build thousands of housing units over an area of 12 square kilometers east of Jerusalem. Diplomatic sources warned that the implementation of this project would effectively split the West Bank into two separate sections, making it impossible to establish a geographically contiguous Palestinian state in the future.

The signatories demanded action before June 1st, the scheduled date for the Israeli government to issue detailed tenders for the development of the targeted area. The letter called on the European Foreign Affairs Council, at its upcoming meeting in mid-May, to approve specific sanctions including a ban on issuing visas to individuals involved in settlement activities, and preventing any commercial dealings with entities supporting these projects within the European Union.

Field data indicates an unprecedented acceleration in the pace of settlement expansion since the current Israeli government took office, with 54 new settlements approved in 2025 alone. According to human rights reports, this figure represents a historical peak in settlement activity, with the total number of units approved since 2022 exceeding all rates recorded in the last decade.

In a related field development, media reports revealed that the Israeli government has allocated a massive budget exceeding one billion shekels, equivalent to 270 million dollars, to enhance settlement infrastructure. This budget, approved in early May 2026, aims to construct new bypass roads connecting settlement blocs, thereby solidifying the permanent Israeli presence in the heart of the occupied territories.

It is worth noting that the number of settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem has jumped to approximately 750,000 people, living in settlements considered illegal by the United Nations and the international community. This settlement boom comes amidst a systematic policy pursued by the current government to fragment Palestinian communities and impose a new demographic and geographical reality that will be difficult to reverse in any future negotiations.

The European Union and its member states are urged to take urgent steps to deter Israel from continuing the illegal annexation of Palestinian lands in the West Bank.