European countries have steadily increased their criticism of Israel in recent months, and even staunch supporters like Merz and Meloni — the EU’s most prominent conservative leaders — have taken a notably tougher stance on expansionist ambitions.
A video this week showing Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir taunting activists who Israel detained en route to deliver supplies to Gaza drove the criticism to new heights.
In their joint statement, the French, German, Italian and British leaders called on Israel to end settlement expansion, ensure accountability for settler violence and “respect the Hashemite custodianship over Jerusalem’s Holy Sites and the historic status quo arrangements.” They also urged Israel to lift financial restrictions on the Palestinian Authority.
The statement added that companies bidding for construction tenders in the E1 development area should be “aware” of potential legal consequences. Additionally on Friday, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten announced that the Netherlands would ban goods coming from illegal Israeli settlements.
Last summer, the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also criticized Israel for advancing the E1 settlement plan. She warned that settlement construction in the area would “permanently cut the geographical and territorial contiguity between occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank” and “sever the connection between the northern and southern West Bank.”