MAALE ADUMIM, West Bank (AP) — Israel's far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, announced a controversial new settlement construction in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Thursday. This development has raised alarms among Palestinians and human rights organizations, as they fear it will undermine the prospects for a future Palestinian state by effectively dividing the West Bank into two separate areas.
The timing of Smotrich's announcement coincides with statements from several countries indicating their intention to recognize a Palestinian state in September, further escalating tensions in the region. Smotrich remarked, “This reality finally buries the idea of a Palestinian state, because there is nothing to recognize and no one to recognize.” He emphasized that any attempt to recognize a Palestinian state would be met with a “response from us on the ground.”
The construction plan, which is set to take place in E1 — an area located east of Jerusalem — has been under consideration for over two decades. However, previous U.S. administrations had pressured Israel to halt its plans. In a show of gratitude, Smotrich lauded former President Donald Trump and U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee as “true friends of Israel as we have never had before.”
Although the E1 plan has not received final approval, it is anticipated to gain such approval as early as next week. The prospective development includes approximately 3,500 apartments intended to expand the settlement of Maale Adumim. Smotrich indicated that while some bureaucratic hurdles remain, if the process proceeds swiftly, groundwork for the infrastructure could commence within a few months, with residential construction potentially starting in about a year.
Responses from rights groups have been swift and critical. The organization Peace Now condemned the announcement, labeling it “deadly for the future of Israel and for any chance of achieving a peaceful two-state solution,” warning that it guarantees “many more years of bloodshed.”
The announcement also comes in light of recent comments made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who, during an interview on Tuesday, expressed a strong attachment to the concept of a Greater Israel. Although he did not provide specific details, proponents of this notion advocate for Israeli control not only over the occupied West Bank but also parts of neighboring Arab countries.
