The UK Foreign Secretary has issued a warning to those considering engaging in the E1 settlement tendering process, stating that new powers have been created to sanction individuals and companies involved in the construction of illegal settlements like E1. Today, 19 October 2026, marks the deadline for bids for the E1 settlement tender.
The Foreign Secretary urged businesses and individuals not to proceed with bids, highlighting potential legal and reputational consequences, including the risk of involvement in serious breaches of international law. The UK Government views the Israeli Government's decision to open tenders for E1 settlements as a direct threat to the prospect of a two-state solution.
The UK Government has committed to introducing legislation to ban goods imported from illegal settlements and to take action on services that finance or facilitate them. The government also condemned escalating settler violence in the West Bank, citing recent attacks on officials from France, Belgium, Poland, a Catholic Church representative, and a US journalist.