Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced plans to build nearly 3,500 new housing units in the contentious E1 area of the occupied West Bank, adjacent to the existing settlement of Maale Adumim. The project, which has been stalled for years due to international opposition, is intended to link Jerusalem with Maale Adumim and is widely seen as a move that would effectively split the West Bank into two parts.
Smotrich declared that this settlement expansion would "bury the idea of a Palestinian state," asserting that the construction of these homes would make the recognition of a Palestinian state impossible. He said, "Anyone in the world trying today to recognise a Palestinian state will receive an answer from us on the ground."
The E1 area has been a focal point of settlement debates for over two decades, with previous US administrations stalling development plans. Smotrich praised the support of current US President Donald Trump and US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, naming them "true friends of Israel." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly supports reviving the project as well.
The plan still requires formal government approval, expected imminently. If approved, infrastructure work could start within months, with construction beginning approximately a year later.
The announcement has been met with widespread condemnation from Palestinians, international organizations, and human rights groups. Critics argue that the settlement would sever Palestinian territorial continuity, blocking the possibility of a viable Palestinian state and further entrenching the Israeli occupation. Peace Now, an Israeli settlement watchdog, labeled the plan "deadly for the future of Israel and any chance of achieving a peaceful two-state solution," warning of prolonged conflict and violence.
Arab nations, the United Nations, and many members of the international community consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, a position Israel disputes, labeling the territory as "disputed."
This settlement plan arrives amid growing tensions and humanitarian crises in the region, notably Gaza, and ahead of expected Palestinian state recognition moves by countries including France, the UK, and Canada at the upcoming UN General Assembly.