Israel's E1 Construction Delay Hinted to UK, Then 1200 Units Announced

Israeli Foreign Minister G Gideon Sa'ar reportedly informed his British counterpart, Ed Miliband, that construction tenders for the E1 area would be postponed until after the October 27th elections, according to a "New York Times" report citing British officials. This conversation, described as "tense," occurred four weeks before Britain announced punitive measures related to West Bank settlements.

Sa'ar "clearly hinted" that the tenders would not be issued before the election date. The E1 area, situated between Jerusalem and the Ma'ale Adumim settlement, is strategically significant as its development could geographically divide parts of the West Bank, including the area between Ramallah and Bethlehem, while strengthening the link between Ma'ale Adumim and Jerusalem.

Despite Sa'ar's reported assurance, Israel announced plans for 1200 additional housing units in E1 just one week after the ministerial call. This announcement contradicted the information conveyed by British officials, highlighting a divergence between the British account and Israel's public stance on the project. Israel reportedly denied deciding to halt construction in the area.

Further reports indicate Sa'ar had assured Miliband on August 11th that construction would not commence before the elections. However, subsequent Israeli plans for 1200 units in E1 have escalated the diplomatic dispute between London and Tel Aviv over the project.

Britain has consistently opposed the E1 construction, with Miliband stating that issuing tenders threatens the possibility of a geographically contiguous Palestinian state. London had also announced measures targeting settlement expansion activities in the West Bank.