Doha, May 14 (QNA) - A growing wave of European political pressure is emerging against Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, following an open letter signed by nearly 450 former European diplomats and officials urging the European Union to take urgent action against Israel's controversial E1 settlement project east of Jerusalem.

The project, planned between the settlements of Ma'ale Adumim and Pisgat Ze'ev, would add around 3,400 housing units across approximately 12 square kilometers of occupied Palestinian land.

Critics warn it would further fragment the West Bank and isolate East Jerusalem from surrounding Palestinian communities.

Among the signatories were former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, who described the settlement plan as illegal under international law and called on the EU to impose deterrent measures against those involved.

The proposed measures include banning business activities linked to settlements and restricting visas for individuals connected to the E1 project.

Shortly after the appeal, EU foreign ministers approved new sanctions targeting violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank, including measures against four settler organizations and three individuals.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc had moved from stalemate to action, stressing that extremism and violence carry consequences.

Israel rejected the European measures, with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar accusing the EU of politically motivated sanctions and defending what he described as Israel's right to settlement.

The developments come amid mounting international concern over escalating settler violence in the West Bank, including attacks on Palestinian communities, arson incidents, and forced displacement.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, more than 40 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the year, including 11 allegedly killed by settlers.

Aliyan Al Hindi, a researcher specializing in Israeli affairs, told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that European opposition to settlement expansion has sharpened significantly following the advancement of the E1 and E2 projects, which he said threaten to sever Palestinian territorial continuity across the West Bank.

He added that the latest European message reflects a gradual shift in traditional European positions toward Israel, driven in part by growing public outrage over the war in Gaza.

The European Union's recent sanctions on Israeli settler groups and individuals mark a growing shift in Europe's approach toward settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, though critics argue the measures still fall short of meaningful pressure on Israel.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the EU had placed major Israeli organizations and leaders responsible for supporting extremist and violent settlement activity under sanctions, stressing that such serious and unacceptable acts must stop immediately.

Despite the move, European foreign ministers stopped short of adopting tougher measures previously proposed by several member states.

Political analyst Hossam Shaker told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that former European diplomats and officials have increasingly called for stronger action against Israeli policies in the West Bank, but the EU's political response has yet to match the scale of those demands.

He argued that the sanctions targeted actors with limited ties to Europe while avoiding direct measures against key Israeli institutions and government ministers, suggesting the bloc aimed to send political signals without seriously disrupting the settlement project.

Shaker also noted that repeated attempts to suspend or revise the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which grants Israel broad economic privileges, have failed, reflecting what he described as continued European reluctance to adopt tougher policies.

Still, Europe appears to be entering a new political phase, with former officials and diplomatic voices openly advocating punitive economic measures against settlements.

According to Western diplomatic reports, proposals under discussion include trade restrictions and tariffs on products originating from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, measures backed by countries including France and Sweden. (QNA)