’Israel’ Faces Backlash Over 3,400+ Settlement Units in E1

By Staff, Agencies

An "Israeli" settlement watchdog has condemned the occupation entityt's decision to publish a tender for constructing 3,401 settlement units in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank.

The move, announced on December 10 by the "Israeli" Ministry of Settlement, represents a significant step toward implementing a settlement project that is widely believed to dismantle any prospects for a Palestinian state.

A tender is a public call for construction bids. The E1 tender signals a shift from planning to implementation, with construction and marketing set to begin once a bid is accepted. Tenders are required in only 13 settlements, making this move especially significant.

The E1 tender reflects a broader settlement surge: in 2025, 28,000+ West Bank units were approved, including 9,600+ via tenders, the highest number since 2017—over 6,700 for "Ma’ale Adumim".

Despite multiple legal petitions filed by Peace Now and allied organizations, the courts have declined to freeze the plan, allowing the occupation entity to proceed with construction preparations.

The E1 plan, spanning 12 sq km east of al-Quds, was approved in August 2025. It would expand "Ma’ale Adumim", link it to occupied al-Quds, and cut connections between Palestinian cities including Ramallah, Beit Lahm, and al-Khalil.

The E1 corridor risks splitting the West Bank into isolated areas, jeopardizing Palestinian territorial continuity, while Bedouin communities like Khan al-Ahmar face forced displacement.

The NGO Peace Now issued a strong rebuke, calling the plan an act of "political recklessness". It stated, "Construction in E1 is intended to lead to a one-state reality, which all indications suggest would take the form of an apartheid regime."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ spokesperson warned that the E1 project poses an "existential threat" to the feasibility of a Palestinian state. The International Court of Justice has stated that such settlement activities violate international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Numerous international bodies, including the European Union, United Nations, and governments of France, Canada, and Australia, have called on the "Israeli" entity to halt the project, viewing it as a direct threat to the "two-state solution".

Far-right Finance Minister Smotrich called E1 a tool to “erase” a Palestinian state, echoed by Netanyahu, who declared, “There will be no Palestinian state; this place belongs to us.”