The EU’s High Representative said Israel should cancel the E1 project, stressing that Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including the E1 area, are illegal under international law.
According to the EU, the proposed construction could divide the West Bank into two parts and isolate East Jerusalem, further undermining the prospects of a viable two-state solution.
The European Union also noted recent cases brought by Israeli prosecutors against individuals allegedly involved in incidents of settler violence.
The bloc called on Israel to halt the E1 project as well as all other settlement expansion activities and to ensure accountability for those responsible for settler violence.
Israel has begun work on the E1 settlement project despite international opposition. Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Canada have jointly described the decision to issue construction tenders for the project as unacceptable.