Britain's Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband on Wednesday condemned Israel's decision to issue a tender for construction in the E1 area, between Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim.

The Israeli government issued the tender a day earlier for seven residential compounds containing 1,234 housing units. The units are part of approximately 3,400 homes in E1 that received approval last August.

Miliband described the tender as unacceptable and called on Israel to withdraw it and halt the plans.

"This Israeli Government’s publication of a tender for the E1 settlement project is an unacceptable and destructive act. E1 would cut across the heart of Palestine and risks separating the West Bank from East Jerusalem, which would endanger the viability of a two-state solution," Miliband said in a statement condemning the move.

"The UK has been clear privately and publicly in our opposition to E1 and our support for a two-state solution as the only way to ensure long-term security and peace for both Palestinians and Israelis. All settlements damage that prospect and are a flagrant breach of international law," he claimed.

Miliband said he had raised the issue directly with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and that the British Foreign Office had summoned Israel's Chargé d'Affaires.

"Today, I made clear to the Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar that the Israeli Government must halt E1 plans immediately, retract the tender and stop all settlement expansion. In addition, the Israeli Chargé d’Affaires has been summoned to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, where we set out the UK’s profound objection to this move by the Netanyahu government and demanded an immediate reversal," said Miliband.

The British Foreign Secretary also warned that London was preparing further measures in response to Israeli government policies.

"Britain will not stand back and accept the destruction of the two-state solution. In the coming weeks we will set out a comprehensive set of measures to respond to Israeli government policies, protect the viability of the Palestinian state, target sanctions at those who participate in illegal settlement expansion and support a just and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians," the UK Foreign Secretary declared.

Israel's plans for construction in E1 have previously drawn criticism from foreign governments. Following the initial approval last year, approximately 20 countries issued a joint letter opposing the proposed construction.

Then-British Foreign Secretary David Lammy also criticized the plans, describing the construction as “a flagrant breach of international law."

Miliband became Britain's Foreign Secretary last month after newly installed Prime Minister Andy Burnham carried out a major Cabinet reshuffle.

Miliband's opposition to Israeli construction in Judea and Samaria follows a previous history of criticism of Israeli policies. While leading the Labour Party in 2014, he moved the party away from its traditional position and toward a more confrontational approach toward Jerusalem.

During the 2014 Gaza war, Miliband described Israel's military operation as "wrong and unjustifiable" and criticized then-Prime Minister David Cameron over his response to civilian casualties.

Later that year, he ordered Labour lawmakers to support a symbolic parliamentary motion calling for unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. The move alienated some Jewish donors and communal organizations.

During a visit to the region, Miliband also visited a Bedouin site and described Israeli community expansion as "wrong and illegal."

At the same time, Miliband has maintained several positions supportive of Israel. Following the October 7 Hamas massacres, he rejected calls for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire and instead backed humanitarian pauses.

He has also described Hamas as a terrorist organization, condemned rocket attacks on Israeli towns as "totally unjustified and appalling," and opposed the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, describing it as an obstacle to peace.

Burnham, who succeeded Keir Starmer as British Prime Minister, had announced a more critical approach toward Israel. He apologized for Labour's initial response to Israel's military campaign in Gaza and pledged to increase pressure on the Israeli government.

Burnham said a government led by him would consider additional sanctions against individuals and entities and examine banning trade in goods originating from what he described as “illegal settlements".

He declined to characterize the situation in Gaza as genocide, saying such a determination should be left to international courts. At the same time, he said he remained committed to combating antisemitism and reiterated his condemnation of the October 7 attacks.