Israel opens up bids for highly sensitive West Bank settlement project
The housing ministry invited bids for 1,234 units as critics warned the project could sever the West Bank and derail a Palestinian state.
- On Tuesday, Maaleh Adumim Mayor Guy Yifrach announced the launch of 1,400 housing units in the E-1 corridor, advancing government plans to populate the contentious area between Maaleh Adumim and Jerusalem.
- First developed by the Shamir government in 1991, the plan to build in E-1 was later advanced by the Rabin administration in the mid-1990s, though American and European Union opposition halted efforts repeatedly.
- Spanning 12 square kilometers, the E-1 corridor was approved for 3,412 housing units by the Higher Planning Committee in August 2025. Yifrach said the construction is "vital to the future of Maale Adumim, to its continued growth, expansion, and the strengthening of its position as a strong city in Israel."
- European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the plan "undermines the two-state solution," while Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich claimed "This reality buries the idea for good — there is nothing to recognize."
- Detractors argue new roads will not prevent Israel from effectively blocking Palestinian statehood, as international observers and Palestinians view E-1 as critical; without it, establishing a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital is impossible.
106 Articles
106 Articles
UK threatens sanctions after Israel opens bids for E1 settler homes
France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Canada also condemned the move The post UK threatens sanctions after Israel opens bids for E1 settler homes appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
"Europe simply no longer plays a role in the Middle East conflict," says Hans-Jakob Schindler about the criticism of Israel's settlement policy. The planned E1 project is likely to further complicate a two-state solution, the Middle East expert fears.
Explainer: What is Israel’s E1 settlement plan that is drawing international opposition - The Tribune
Israel’s decision to invite bids for the construction of more than 1,200 homes in the long-disputed E1 area of the occupied West Bank has drawn fresh international criticism. Several countries have warned that the project could make the creation of a future Palestinian state even more difficult. So, what is E1 and why does it […]
The United Kingdom condemned the announcement by the Government of Israel of a tender for a settlement project in the heart of Palestine.
Israel clashes with allies over West Bank settlement project
Israel sharply criticized the UK after London voiced opposition to the Jewish state’s support for settlements in the occupied West Bank, the latest in a series of rows with once strong Western allies. The UK’s top diplomat called Israeli settlement expansion plans “unacceptable and destructive,” adding to a barrage of criticism this week: London alongside Berlin, Paris, and Rome issued a joint statement condemning the settlements, while Germany …
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