Palestinians condemn Israeli step to advance illegal E1 settlement plan

What the report says

The Palestinian Authority has condemned an Israeli move to advance the long-contested E1 settlement project in the occupied West Bank. According to Al Jazeera, Israel’s Ministry of Construction and Housing approved a bidding process for 1,234 housing units, while the broader plan approved last year envisions more than 3,400 homes across about 12 sq km of Palestinian land.

The tender is part of a project centered between Jerusalem and the Maale Adumim settlement bloc. Palestinian officials and local rights groups warn that if built, E1 would further fragment the West Bank, isolate occupied East Jerusalem, and make a future contiguous Palestinian state harder to achieve. The Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission said the project would confine Palestinians to disconnected enclaves surrounded by settlements.

Al Jazeera also cited Israeli and Palestinian advocacy groups saying even partial construction could create lasting changes on the ground. Ir Amim and Peace Now argued that the move would sever the northern West Bank from the south and undermine the two-state solution. The tender period is due to close on October 19, shortly before Israel’s scheduled elections on October 27, adding political significance to the timing.

As background, Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal under international law. The E1 plan has been delayed several times in the past, but critics say the latest tender shows renewed effort to move it forward.