Full story
E1 Tender Sparks Outcry
Israel’s Housing Ministry issued a notice inviting bids for more than 1,200 housing units in E1 in the occupied West Bank, a plan that critics say would split the territory and “bury” the possibility of a two-state solution.
“called Israel’s opening of construction tenders for more than 1,200 housing units “unacceptable””
The E1 project is described as covering about 12 sq km (4.6 sq miles) between East Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim, with a goal of creating a continuous bloc of Jewish settlements from East Jerusalem to the West Bank.
A joint statement on Thursday from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada and Norway called Israel’s opening of construction tenders for more than 1,200 housing units “unacceptable” and in violation of “the territorial contiguity of the Palestinian Territories”.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the joint statement and called for an immediate reversal of Israel’s E1 settlement plan and an end to settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, saying the E1 plan represents a highly dangerous step in settlement expansion and annexation.
The UN secretary-general’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Antonio Guterres was “deeply alarmed by the reports of new illegal Israeli settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank,” including the new tenders.
Condemnations and Pushback
Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Prévot condemned the Israeli government’s decision to launch calls for tenders for more than 1,200 housing units in the E1 zone, calling it “unacceptable” and warning it risks “cutting the West Bank in two.”
Prévot urged the Israeli government to withdraw the tender calls, to abandon the E1 project, and to end the expansion of the settlements, while also saying “Neither for the Palestinians nor for the Israelis,” he concluded.
In a separate statement, the UN secretary general also said the E1 plan posed an “existential threat” to a contiguous Palestinian state, and the BBC reported that Belgium’s foreign minister echoed the same concern.
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband’s condemnation drew “ouright” rejection by Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar, who wrote on X that “The Jewish people have the right to live on all of the Land of Israel.”
The BBC also reported that despite Israeli court challenges by Bedouin Palestinians living in the area and Israeli peace groups, on Wednesday the Israeli housing ministry issued a tender for 1,234 of the 3,401 housing units approved by the Israeli government last August.
What’s at Stake Next
The joint statement from European allies and Canada warned of “legal and reputational consequences” for participants and urged Israel “to retract these plans immediately and end its expansion of settlements in the West Bank.”
“urged Israel “to retract these plans immediately and end its expansion of settlements in the West Bank””
The BBC said the E1 project is located about 12 sq km (4.6 sq miles) between East Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim, and opponents have warned it would effectively block the establishment of a Palestinian state by cutting off the north of the West Bank from the south.
The Anadolu Ajansı report said the Palestinian Foreign Ministry urged companies and economic actors not to participate in the tenders, saying any direct or indirect involvement would be contrary to obligations arising from international law.
In parallel, the Daily Sabah report said Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and five other countries rejected Israel’s unlawful E1 settlement plan and warned it threatens the viability of an independent Palestinian state, calling for international measures and sanctions against those responsible for illegal settlement activity.
The TRT World report added that the E1 plan includes roughly 3,400 settlement units and is intended to connect the illegal Ma’ale Adumim settlement with occupied East Jerusalem through Israeli construction on Palestinian land, while the ministers said it constitutes a “dangerous escalation” that advances settlement expansion and annexation.