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Israel has given final approval to the project known as E1, one of the most controversial settlement projects in the West Bank. The plan involves the construction of 3,401 new housing units between Jerusalem and the Ma'ale Adumim settlement, creating a corridor that divides Palestinian territory into two, north and south, and making the creation of a contiguous and viable Palestinian state virtually impossible.
The decision was made by the Israeli civil administration's High Planning Commission, which operates under the Defense Ministry. The project had been frozen for decades due to strong international opposition, from the EU, the US and the UN, which have long considered E1 a "red line" blocking a two-state solution.
Finance Minister and Israeli far-right leader Bezalel Smotrich called the decision a "historic act" that "strengthens the sovereignty of the Jewish people in the heart of the Land of Israel."
"The Palestinian state is being taken off the table not with slogans, but with facts. Every settlement, every neighborhood, every new house is another nail in the coffin of this dangerous idea," he declared.
According to him, after decades of international pressure, Israel is finally connecting Ma'ale Adumim to Jerusalem, describing this as "Zionism in its best form: building, establishing and strengthening sovereignty."
Consequences for the Palestinians and the region
The approval of this project is seen by many analysts as a dividing line between the illusion of two states and the reality of gradual annexation. The Palestinian areas in the north and south of the West Bank remain separated, while East Jerusalem, which the Palestinians seek as their future capital, is isolated from the cities of Ramallah and Bethlehem.
The Israeli organization Peace Now has warned that the new plan is not just a housing estate, but a massive expansion that will increase the construction capacity of Ma'ale Adumim, a settlement that has so far suffered a population decline, by 33%. According to them, this is a strategy to consolidate the Israeli presence through the fact accomplished on the ground.
The international community has long warned that the E1 project would destroy the chances of a peace agreement. The US and EU have considered the move provocative, while the UN has called it a "blatant violation of international law."
This development comes a few months after the Israeli government's decision to build a new road, called the "Fabric of Life", which will be used only by Palestinians, separating their traffic from Israeli traffic and consolidating Jewish settlements beyond the Green Line.
With this decision, Netanyahu's government has given shape to the vision of the Israeli right: no Palestinian state will be allowed to emerge in the West Bank. In practice, this policy transforms the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from an unresolved diplomatic issue to a reality on the ground, where negotiations remain mere rhetoric.
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