Hotovely to UK: 'Don't Tell Us Where to Build in Jerusalem'

Israeli Ambassador to the United Kingdom Tzipi Hotovely pushed back on British criticism of Israel's construction plans in the E1 corridor, saying Jerusalem will not accept dictates from foreign governments.

"I wouldn't tell the British where to build in London," Hotovely told the Daily Mail on Thursday night. "We see E1 as part of greater Jerusalem."

Hotovely was summoned to the Foreign Office this week by British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who protested Israel's plan to build 3,400 housing units in the area linking Ma'ale Adumim with Jerusalem.

Lammy warned that the plan would "critically undermine" the chances of a two-state solution and "divide a Palestinian state in two."

The E1 project, long delayed due to international pressure, is considered by Israeli officials essential for securing the capital's eastern approaches and preventing Ramallah and Bethlehem from merging into a continuous Palestinian bloc that encircles Jerusalem.

London has joined Paris, Washington, and other capitals in opposing the plan, warning it would undermine prospects for a two-state solution. Israel, however, says that Palestinian rejectionism and ongoing terrorism — not construction — remain the true obstacles to peace.

Hotovely's remarks reflect Jerusalem's growing insistence that, in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, Israel must prioritize security and strategic depth in and around its capital regardless of international pressure.

Speaking at a press conference in Ma'ale Adumim last week, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said: "After decades of international pressure and freezes, we are breaking conventions and connecting Ma'ale Adumim to Jerusalem. This is Zionism at its best — building, settling and strengthening our sovereignty in the Land of Israel."

This JNS.org report was republished with permission from Jewish News Syndicate.