Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has asserted that his government’s proposal to construct over 3,000 homes in the contentious E1 settlement project will effectively "bury the idea of a Palestinian state." This project, which is situated between Jerusalem and the Maale Adumim settlement, has faced prolonged delays and severe international criticism for decades. Experts warn that its development could sever the West Bank from East Jerusalem, heightening tensions in an already volatile region.
Smotrich's remarks were made during a news conference alongside officials from the Yesha Council and the Maale Adumim municipality. He stated, "There is nothing to recognise and no one to recognise," rejecting the prospect of Palestinian statehood. This comes amidst a wave of international intentions, from various countries, to formally recognize a Palestinian state in the near future, which Israeli leaders have condemned.
According to the Israeli anti-settlement organization Peace Now, around 700,000 settlers occupy approximately 160 settlements within the West Bank and East Jerusalem – areas that Palestinians claim for a potential state. Smotrich emphasized, “After decades of international pressure and freezes, we are breaking conventions... This is Zionism at its best,” framing the plan as a legitimate assertion of Israeli sovereignty.
Meanwhile, responses to the settlement proposal have been swift, with the US State Department highlighting that a stable West Bank is crucial for Israel's security and is aligned with ongoing peace efforts. The United Nations and European Union urged Israel to refrain from advancing the E1 construction plans, with the EU’s position asserting that non-negotiated territorial changes are unacceptable.
UK Foreign Minister David Lammy expressed the country's strong opposition, stressing that such plans would violate international law and fracture the potential for a future Palestinian state. Similarly, Germany has demanded Israel halt any new construction, and Turkey’s foreign ministry condemned the plans as a violation of international law, undermining Palestine's territorial integrity.
As tensions escalate, Israeli NGO Peace Now accused the Netanyahu government of exploiting the situation to further annex the West Bank and obstruct the possibility of a peaceful two-state solution. The discourse surrounding these current events has intensified following the recent conflict stemming from Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023, with reported increases in pressure on West Bank Palestinians justified as security measures.
Human rights organizations remain vocal, stating that such developments suggest ongoing violations against the Palestinian population, referring to actions in Gaza as potentially genocidal. Amidst a backdrop of heightened scrutiny and criticism, the international community largely maintains that Israel's settlements in occupied territories contravene international law—a stance reinforced by an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice.
