00:01The leaders of seven countries, including four EU member states, condemned a major settlement
00:07project in the West Bank and called on Israel to end expansion in the occupied Palestinian
00:14territory. The leaders of France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands urged Israel to retract the
00:20plans immediately. Their statement came after Israeli authorities opened bidding for more than
00:261,200 homes in the area. Other signatories include the United Kingdom, Norway and Canada.
00:33The E-1 plan was greenlit by Israel last year and would further separate East Jerusalem,
00:39which is occupied and annexed by Israel and predominantly inhabited by Palestinians from
00:45the West Bank. The plan seeks to build around 3,400 homes on land which lies between Jerusalem
00:52and the Israeli settlement of Meil Adoumim. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the
00:59E-1 plan posed an existential threat to a contiguous Palestinian state.
01:05Violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers has increased in recent years,
01:11with multiple deadly attacks taking place and numerous Palestinian homes being demolished.
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