UK's Lammy says Israel settlement plan 'must be stopped now'

LONDON (Reuters) - British foreign minister David Lammy said Israeli plans to develop a settlement that would divide the West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem marked a breach of international law and must be stopped immediately.

"The UK strongly opposes the Israeli government's E1 settlement plans, which would divide a future Palestinian state in two and mark a flagrant breach of international law. The plans must be stopped now," Lammy said in an emailed statement.

Earlier, Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced work would start on a long-delayed settlement that would divide the West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem, a move his office said would "bury" the idea of a Palestinian state.

The Palestinian government, allies and campaign groups condemned the scheme, calling it illegal and saying the fragmentation of territory would rip up any internationally backed peace plans for the region.

Standing at the site of the planned settlement in Maale Adumim on Thursday, Smotrich said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump had agreed to the revival of the E1 development, though there was no immediate confirmation from either.

“Whoever in the world is trying to recognise a Palestinian state today will receive our answer on the ground. Not with documents nor with decisions or statements, but with facts. Facts of houses, facts of neighbourhoods," Smotrich said.