EU sharply warned companies about the construction of a settlement that would destroy the idea of forming the state of Palestine

The EU sharply warned companies about the construction of settlements that would destroy the idea of forming the State of Palestine This warning followed on Friday, just a few days before October 19th, when the deadline for bids on one of the tenders for the construction of the E1 settlement expired. The Israeli government's plan for E1 foresees the construction of thousands of new residential units between Jerusalem and the existing settlement of Ma'ale Adumim on the West Bank, seven kilometers east of the city. The goal is to connect the settlements on the West Bank with the occupied East Jerusalem, which would practically bisect the West Bank in half, making the Palestinian state unsustainable. The European Council called on Israel to immediately reverse the expansion of settlements, which is unlawful under international law, including withdrawing the tender for construction in the E1 area. The Council added that "companies should not submit bids for construction contracts for E1 or other settlement projects and emphasizes the legal, economic, and reputational consequences for companies and financial institutions that participate in the construction of settlements, including the risk of serious violations of international law." The conclusions published by the Council were supported by the leaders of all EU member states. The warning came after the British sanctions on Israeli settlements, which also include sanctions on bodies financing the construction of settlements, came into force earlier this week. Haaretz reported last week that Israeli banks fear that they may suffer the consequences of British sanctions. At the beginning of this month, the Israeli Attorney General ordered that the announcement of the tender winner be postponed until the end of the upcoming general elections in Israel. The deadline for bids on one of the tenders for E1 expires on Monday, the competition for the second should begin on October 25th, and for the third in November. The EU had previously warned that the E1 project fundamentally undermines the prospects for a two-state solution. Meanwhile, attacks on Palestinians are becoming more frequent. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Saturday that almost 200 attacks on Palestinians linked to the seizure of olive groves on the West Bank this year have caused casualties or material damage.