TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) - Israel has granted final approval for a contentious settlement project in the occupied West Bank, specifically in E1, an area located east of Jerusalem. This development is projected to effectively bisect the territory, leading Palestinians and various human rights organizations to assert that it jeopardizes the viability of a future Palestinian state. The project has been under consideration for over two decades but has faced delays due to pressure from U.S. administrations in the past.
On Wednesday, the Planning and Building Committee officially approved the project, following the rejection of the last remaining petitions against it on August 6. If the implementation progresses as anticipated, infrastructure development could commence within the next few months, with the construction of approximately 3,500 residential units expected to begin within a year. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced this plan during a press conference held at the site last Thursday, emphasizing its strategic importance.
Smotrich positioned the approval as a response to recent announcements from Western countries regarding plans to recognize Palestinian statehood. "This reality finally buries the idea of a Palestinian state, because there is nothing to recognize and no one to recognize," he stated to reporters. He further warned that any country attempting to recognize a Palestinian state would face consequences from Israel on the ground.
The geographical significance of E1 cannot be overstated. It lies at the intersection of two pivotal cities: Ramallah in the northern West Bank and Bethlehem in the southern West Bank. Although the cities are only 22 kilometers (14 miles) apart in a straight line, Palestinians must navigate a considerable detour laden with multiple Israeli checkpoints, which significantly prolongs their journey. The vision for final status negotiations aimed to establish a direct transportation link between these cities.
Peace Now, an organization dedicated to monitoring settlement expansion, condemned the E1 project, characterizing it as detrimental to both Israel's future and any potential for achieving a peaceful two-state solution, asserting it would lead to further bloodshed in the region. The overall atmosphere for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank appears increasingly challenging, particularly as global attention shifts towards the ongoing war in Gaza. There has been a notable surge in violent incidents involving settlers, forced evictions from Palestinian communities, and the implementation of stringent checkpoints that restrict freedom of movement, alongside several retaliatory attacks by Palestinians against Israelis.
Currently, over 700,000 Israelis reside in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories that were captured by Israel during the 1967 conflict and are claimed by Palestinians for their prospective state. The international community largely regards Israeli settlement activities in these regions as illegal and a barrier to the peace process.
Israel's current government, comprised of religious and ultranationalist politicians with close ties to settler movements, supports the expansion of settlements. Bezalel Smotrich, a prominent leader within the settler community and now the finance minister, has been appointed with Cabinet-level authority over settlement policies. Smotrich has voiced intentions to double the settler population in the West Bank, reflecting the administration's commitment to settlement expansion.
It is essential to note that Israel has unilaterally annexed East Jerusalem, claiming it as part of its capital—a move that the international community does not recognize. Israel maintains that the West Bank is disputed territory and asserts that its final status must be determined through negotiation. Notably, Israel withdrew from 21 settlements in Gaza back in 2005, suggesting a complex history of settlement policies in the region.
