The plan has been widely condemned as a breach of international law that threatens a two-state solution, and Smotrich himself said it would “bury” the idea of a Palestinian state when announcing it last week.

Development on the sensitive portion of land has been under consideration by Israel for more than two decades. Source: AP / Ohad Zwigenberg

‘Unacceptable and a violation of international law’

“We condemn this decision and call for its immediate reversal in the strongest terms,” the statement reads.

The ministers said the government of Israel still has an opportunity to stop the plan from going any further, and encouraged it to “urgently retract” the decision.

“The Israeli government must stop settlement construction in line with UNSC Resolution 2334 and remove their restrictions on the finances of the Palestinian Authority.”

What is the E1 settlement plan?

Development in E1 has been under consideration for more than two decades, but was frozen due to pressure from the United States during previous administrations.

Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, said the project would “completely cut off the northern and central West Bank from the southern West Bank — meaning that there would no longer be any territorial contiguity”.

‘Immediate independent foreign media access’

The UK, New Zealand, France, Italy and Ukraine are among the other countries to have signed the joint statement.