Draft UN Resolutions Seek to Sever E1 Link and Reject West Bank Presence
European diplomats are negotiating text that would formally declare non-recognition of Israel's West Bank administration and condemn the E1 construction plan.
By Yasmin Nasser ·
Palestinian diplomats in New York are finalizing a package of resolutions that would force the United Nations to take a harder line against Israel's West Bank policy.
According to reports from Ynet, the Palestinian delegation is working with European allies to draft text that includes an official condemnation of construction plans for the E1 settlement area. The drafts also call for the UN to formally state that it does not recognize Israel's presence in the West Bank. A key component of the proposal is a policy of differentiation that treats the West Bank separately from the rest of Israel. The text would also seek UN commitments to protect Palestinian property and sources of income in the territory.
The European Union has not yet agreed to back the measures. After a week of internal consultations, the 27 member states failed to reach a consensus. The Palestinian delegation is expected to consider bringing the drafts to a vote without full European support. Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, called the effort a diplomatic attack. He said, “They are trying to exploit the situation to challenge us from the UN podium.” Danon added that the Israeli delegation is working with allies to confront the initiative. The Israeli mission is actively working to soften the wording of the proposed resolutions and reduce the number of supporting countries.
The diplomatic push comes as UN agencies document rising tensions in the West Bank. In October, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs recorded at least 160 attacks on Palestinians by extremist Israeli settlers during the first two weeks of the olive harvest. A separate report from a UN Commission of Inquiry stated that nearly 500 Palestinians have been killed annually in the West Bank since 2022. These figures represent the highest numbers recorded since the UN began collecting data on the topic in 2005. In September, acting Middle East peace envoy Ramiz Alakbarov told the Security Council that he strongly condemns the E1 plan. He argued that the plan would sever the connection between the northern and southern West Bank and isolate east Jerusalem.
The UN has also tracked the impact of the Gaza war, recording 1,431 Palestinian deaths in ongoing Israeli strikes following the 2025 ceasefire. Danon has long criticized what he views as anti-Israel bias within the organization. In a recent interview, he described the UN as a platform to incite against Israel. He said, “My approach is that we have to be in the room, and we don't just leave.” The Israeli mission is encouraging more Israelis to apply for professional and managerial positions within the UN to ensure their voice is heard in meeting rooms where decisions are made.
The next step in the process involves the Palestinian delegation deciding whether to table the resolutions for a vote. European diplomats will continue negotiations with the Palestinian side over the specific wording of the differentiation policy and the non-recognition declaration.
