UK Claims Israeli Minister Promised E1 Construction Freeze Before Election

British officials believed Israeli Foreign Minister Gidon Saar had pledged to halt construction in the E1 area until elections after an August 11 phone call, according to The New York Times. The officials were reportedly confident that Israel would not advance plans for the E1 development before the October 27 elections. The conversation between Saar and British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband was described as tense and occurred weeks before London announced sanctions against West Bank settlements.

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied the newspaper's interpretation of the discussion. A week after the call, the Israeli government tendered bids for 1,234 housing units in seven residential complexes in the E1 area, east of Jerusalem. While the Israeli Foreign Ministry stated this action did not alter their position, British officials viewed it as a complete departure from Saar's alleged commitment.

Miliband's office declined to comment. Last week, Miliband announced a ban on business dealings with West Bank settlements, alongside broader sanctions, accusing Israel of "ethnic cleansing of Palestinians by terrorist settlers." Canada, France, and other nations have announced similar measures, expected to take effect in six to nine months. The Israeli government reacted angrily to the UK's actions and announced retaliatory measures.

Construction in the E1 zone, located between Ramallah and Bethlehem, would disrupt Palestinian territorial contiguity by connecting the settlement of Ma'ale Adumim to Jerusalem.