Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong has joined 21 nations in condemning Israel’s approval to develop a 12-kilometre parcel of land known as the East-1 (E1).
The land lies just east of Jerusalem and sits between the city and the Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Adumim, which is located in the West Bank—what is internationally recognised as Palestinian territory.
The E1 development would effectively expand Israeli territory in the West Bank and solidify control of the area known as East Jerusalem.
Israel had previously designated the land under the Oslo Accords, meaning it has full control over planning, zoning and security. Its latest decision is aimed at shoring up security, according to authorities.
On Aug. 21, Minister Wong published a joint statement alongside ministers from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission also signed the statement.
Plans for the E1 have been deemed a “violation of international law” by the group.
“[Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel] Smotrich says this plan will make a two-state solution impossible by dividing any Palestinian state and restricting Palestinian access to Jerusalem.
“This brings no benefits to the Israeli people. Instead, it risks undermining security and fuels further violence and instability, taking us further away from peace.”
The statement calls on Israel to urgently retract its plan for housing on the parcel of land and to remove restrictions on the finances of the Palestinian Authority.
In response, the CEO of the Australian Jewish Association Robert Gregory said the federal government had little sway over Middle Eastern politics.
“As a side note, Labor has zero influence in Israel and if anything actually played a role in getting these homes approved,” he said.
“The project had been held up for decades for fear of Western response, but with the anti-Israel pile-on from Australia, France, UK and others, Israel decided the timing was right.”
The signing of the joint statement is one link in a chain of ongoing tit-for-tat between Australia and Israel as the historic alliance between the two nations experiences difficulties.
The dispute over East Jerusalem and the West Bank has existed since 1967.
During that year, Israel responded to a series of attacks from neighbouring countries, including Syria, and ultimately placed East Jerusalem and the West Bank under military control without ever annexing the regions.
Israel maintains it has authority to act in the regions due to a section of international law governing belligerent occupation, while the wider international community largely condemns Israel’s presence as illegal.
The territories were previously under Jordanian control.
