Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Monday hit back at Britain’s Labour government, after U.K. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband threatened sanctions against companies bidding to build in the E1 area near Jerusalem.
“Judea and Samaria are not foreign lands to the Jewish people,” Sa’ar wrote on X. “Our historical rights are not subject to approval from London.”
He said the days when Jerusalem would “quietly accept threats, sanctions and attempts to dictate its policies are over.”
Sa’ar urged London to address “the serious challenges facing its own country” instead of pursuing a “relentless campaign against the Jewish state.”
Bidding on the E1 (“East 1″) project, which closes on Monday, covers 1,234 housing units. The area lies in an undeveloped area within the municipal boundaries of Ma’ale Adumim, located between Jerusalem and the developed area of Ma’ale Adumim.
AFSI Insight
Britain’s threat of sanctions over Israeli development in E1 exposes the international double standard targeting the Jewish state for exercising its rights in its historic homeland. E1 is strategically vital to Israel’s security and the future of Jerusalem. Rather than pressure Israel to surrender its heartland, Britain should recognize that Judea and Samaria are integral to Israel’s historical and security interests. Israel must not allow foreign threats or political intimidation to dictate its sovereign decisions.