Egypt rejects Israeli E1 settlement project, Western powers demand retraction
Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, in a call with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, reiterated Cairo's strong opposition to Israel's E1 settlement project in the occupied West Bank. Egypt views the project as a threat to Palestinian territorial continuity, isolating East Jerusalem and undermining the prospects for a Palestinian state. The E1 plans have drawn renewed international opposition after Israel published tenders for over 1,200 housing units. The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, and Norway issued a joint statement calling Israel's decision "unacceptable" and urged the Israeli government to retract the plans immediately and halt settlement expansion. These nations warned that the E1 project would undermine the two-state solution and urged companies not to bid on the construction tenders due to potential legal and reputational consequences. Abdelatty and Mustafa also discussed developments in the Gaza Strip and Egypt's efforts to advance the implementation of the roadmap and commitments under US President Donald Trump's peace plan.
