Britain Summons Israeli Chargé d’Affaires Over E1 Tender, Pledges Sanctions

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said Britain summoned Israel’s Chargé d’Affaires to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office after the Israeli government launched a tender for the E1 housing project, calling the step unacceptable and destructive and demanding an immediate reversal. Miliband said he told Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar that Israel must halt E1, retract the tender and stop all settlement expansion, and he asserted that settlements are a flagrant breach of international law. He said E1 would risk separating the West Bank from East Jerusalem. Miliband added that Britain will set out a comprehensive package of measures in the coming weeks, including sanctions targeting those who participate in settlement expansion.