Bezalel Smotrich's intentions to approve the construction of over 3,000 homes in the E1 area of the West Bank are seen as a means to obstruct the establishment of a Palestinian state, drawing criticism from humanitarian groups and the international community.
Israeli Settlement Expansion Moves to Block Palestinian Statehood
Israeli Settlement Expansion Moves to Block Palestinian Statehood
Israeli Finance Minister's announcement of new settlement plans sparks international concerns and highlights ongoing tensions in the region.
Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has declared plans to approve the construction of more than 3,000 homes in the contentious E1 settlement project located between Jerusalem and Maale Adumim. Smotrich claims this initiative aims to permanently obstruct the creation of a Palestinian state, intensifying existing tensions between Israel and Palestine.
The E1 project has been stalled for decades due to substantial international opposition, as building in this sensitive area would disrupt the territorial continuity of the West Bank and physically separate it from East Jerusalem. An outspoken Smotrich stated, “The plan will bury the idea of a Palestinian state,” echoing sentiments held by a faction of the Israeli government.
Settlement expansion remains a divisive issue in international law and reality; while considered illegal by most of the global community, Israel contests this classification. According to the Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now, approximately 700,000 settlers reside in close to 160 settlements across the West Bank and East Jerusalem—territories Palestinians consider essential for a future independent state.
In recent days, a surge of countries has proclaimed their intention to recognize Palestinian statehood, a move that has drawn ire from Israeli officials. Smotrich’s announcement is set to be made at a news conference alongside the Yesha Council's chairman Israel Ganz and Ma'ale Adumim's mayor Guy Yifrach.
The opposition has been vocal; Peace Now criticized the Netanyahu government for using every opportunity to deepen West Bank annexation and hinder a two-state solution. “It is clear to everyone today that the only solution to the conflict, and the only way to defeat Hamas, is through the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel,” the group stated, condemning the ongoing cycle of violence.
The E1 housing project has been untouched for two decades, and experts assert that developments there could hinder the establishment of a viable Palestinian state by isolating urban Palestinian centers such as Ramallah and Bethlehem from one another.
Since the Hamas assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, Israeli authorities have increased their pressure on West Bank Palestinians, justifying these actions as necessary security measures. The vast majority of the world continues to regard the settlements as illegal under international law, a stance reinforced by an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued last year.
