How Israel is expanding settlements in drive to reshape West Bank

Israel is significantly expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank, with recent tenders for approximately 1,200 homes in the strategically important E1 area east of Jerusalem. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated an intention to prevent a Palestinian state, asserting Israeli ownership of the land. This expansion has drawn widespread condemnation from international bodies, including the UN and a joint statement from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Canada, who deem the plans unacceptable and a threat to a future Palestinian state. The Palestinian Authority president called for concrete measures to halt the E1 plan. Israel has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 war and has built around 160 settlements housing 700,000 Jews, despite international law prohibiting settlement on occupied land.

Israel has opened tenders for 1,234 homes in the E1 settlement area of the occupied West Bank, a project that rights groups and experts state would partition Palestinian territory and make a Palestinian state impossible. This expansion aims to create a continuous Israeli settlement corridor between East Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim, disrupting Palestinian movement. The E1 plans, originating in the early 1990s, have faced international pressure and repeated halts, but have been revived under the current Israeli government, supported by far-right parties. The move has drawn condemnation from Western governments and the UN, which considers settlement construction in E1 a violation of international law.

European nations, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Norway, along with Canada, have jointly condemned Israel's decision to open construction tenders for over 1,200 housing units in the E1 settlement project in the occupied West Bank. They described the plan as "unacceptable" and a violation of the territorial contiguity of Palestinian Territories, warning of "legal and reputational consequences" for those involved. The group urged Israel to immediately retract these plans and cease settlement expansion, stating it undermines peace prospects and Israel's international standing. Egypt and Malaysia also expressed strong rejection of the settlement expansion, with Malaysia's Prime Minister noting it gravely undermines the prospect of a contiguous Palestinian homeland. The UN secretary-general's spokesperson also voiced alarm over the reports of new illegal settlement outposts.

The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Canada have jointly condemned Israel's plans to open tenders for approximately 1,200 settlement homes in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank, east of Jerusalem. The countries described the decision as "unacceptable" and urged Israel to "retract the plans immediately." They stated that this move is particularly concerning given the current instability and violence in the West Bank, and that it undermines hopes for a two-state solution by potentially dividing the West Bank and isolating East Jerusalem. The UN secretary general and Belgium's foreign minister also expressed concerns, with the UN chief calling the E1 plan an "existential threat" to a contiguous Palestinian state.

The Israeli government has issued a tender for over 1,200 housing units as part of its E1 settlement project in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Authority (PA) has condemned this move, with its Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission warning it would create disconnected Palestinian enclaves. Israel's E1 plan, approved last year, aims to build more than 3,400 units on Palestinian land, linking settlements in East Jerusalem to the Maale Adumim settlement bloc. This would sever East Jerusalem from the West Bank and bisect the West Bank itself. The tender submission deadline is October 19, shortly before Israeli elections. The PA views this as a step towards reshaping the area between Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley, potentially hindering a two-state solution.