An Israeli plan to build thousands of units in E1 .. Has the dream of a Palestinian state ended?

The Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich gave the green light yesterday, Wednesday, for the construction of 3,400 settlement units in the strategically disputed area of "E1" near Jerusalem, according to Israeli Channel 12.

Smotrich considered that this settlement expansion "buries the idea of establishing a Palestinian state".

The "E1" area is located between northern and southern Jerusalem and is considered a vital dividing point that prevents geographic continuity between these areas, thereby enhancing Israeli control over the disputed lands.

In a related context, the Palestinian news agency "Wafa" revealed that Israel has issued 6 tenders for the construction and expansion of new settlements, including 4,000 settlement units in the "Ariel" settlement located on the lands of Salfit Governorate, and the "Ma'ale Adumim" settlement on the lands of Jerusalem Governorate.

The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission clarified that the six tenders are divided between three for the expansion of the new neighborhood "Ariel West" to build 730 settlement units, and three others for the expansion of the "Ma'ale Adumim" settlement, led by tender number 320/2025 which targets the construction of 2,902 new units.

The commission added that the plans for the expansion of "Ma'ale Adumim" were approved last July, while the plans for the expansion of "Ariel" were approved in May, raising questions about the speed of implementing these steps and reflecting the occupation's insistence on imposing new realities on Palestinian land.

The commission also pointed out that the map attached to the tender for "Ariel West" shows a location more than two kilometers away from the current "Ariel" settlement, raising the possibility of establishing a new settlement without an official announcement, in a step that reflects the ongoing settlement expansion.