Israeli Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich has given the green light to the controversial E1 construction initiative, a development that would create a physical barrier between east Jerusalem and the West Bank.
“The plan will bury the idea of a Palestinian state,” Smotrich declared.
Speaking from the site of the proposed neighborhood in Maale Adumim on Thursday, Smotrich asserted that Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump had both signed off on bringing the E1 project back to life. Neither leader has yet confirmed his statement.
The project has been on hold since 2012 due to staunch opposition from Washington, European nations, and other global powers, who view the construction as a direct obstacle to any prospective peace accord with the Palestinians.
Smotrich announced he would hold a press briefing on Thursday alongside Yesha Council Chairman Israel Ganz and Ma’aleh Adumim Mayor Guy Yifrach to outline the details of the proposal.
Under the plan, 3,401 housing units would be built in Ma’aleh Adumim, a community located in the West Bank.
Peace Now has previously described the initiative as a “death blow to the two-state solution,” warning that it would effectively bisect the West Bank, halting the growth of the metropolitan corridor linking Ramallah, east Jerusalem, and Bethlehem.
Although Smotrich’s statement brought the plan into the public eye, there has been no formal confirmation that the project has been officially approved. Israeli media noted that other high-profile housing initiatives have been publicized in the past only to languish for years without progress.
Smotrich, however, insisted that this project will advance, framing it as the “final nail in the coffin” for the notion of Palestinian statehood.
“From the Palestinian perspective and that of the international community, this is a critical area. Without it, the establishment of a Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital is simply impossible,” he said.
He emphasized that this move has been part of the government’s agenda from its inception.
“The approval of construction in the E1 area undermines the idea of a Palestinian state and is part of the broader steps we are taking as part of our de facto sovereignty plan, which began with the formation of this government. After decades of international pressure and freezing of projects, we are defying conventions and cementing the connection between Ma’aleh Adumim and Jerusalem.”
Support for the plan is strong among leaders in the Binyamin region and Ma’aleh Adumim. Ganz, head of the Binyamin Regional Council, called it “a historic achievement for the settlement movement, laying the groundwork for the eventual implementation of sovereignty.”
Ma’aleh Adumim’s mayor, Guy Yifrach, voiced his backing as well.
“Palestinians have tried to undermine this area through illegal construction, but the creation of this new neighborhood will thwart their efforts.”
The Palestinian Authority, along with allied governments and advocacy groups, denounced the move as unlawful, warning that carving up the territory would dismantle any internationally supported peace framework for the area.
{Matzav.com}
