Netanyahu Advances E1 Settlement Expansion, Rejects Palestinian Statehood
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signed an agreement to advance the E1 settlement expansion in the West Bank, declaring there will be no Palestinian state.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signed an agreement to advance the E1 settlement expansion in the West Bank, declaring there will be no Palestinian state. During a visit to the Ma'ale Adumim settlement, Netanyahu stated, "There will never be a Palestinian state. This place is ours." The plan includes thousands of new housing units and aims to double the city's population.
The E1 project, which has received final planning approval, involves constructing 3,412 housing units in a new neighborhood of Ma'ale Adumim, just east of East Jerusalem. The total investment is estimated at nearly $1 billion, encompassing roads and infrastructure upgrades.
Critics argue that the E1 expansion would effectively divide the West Bank, severing East Jerusalem from the rest of the territory and undermining the feasibility of a contiguous Palestinian state.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich expressed support for the plan, stating, "This will bury the idea of a Palestinian state." He also indicated intentions to pursue annexation of the West Bank.
The international community has largely condemned the E1 project. The United Kingdom summoned the Israeli ambassador, describing the plan as a "flagrant breach" of international law that could severely undermine prospects for a two-state solution.
The West Bank is home to approximately three million Palestinians and about 500,000 Israeli settlers.
Source
The Times of IsraelFact-checking
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