Israeli E1 settlement tenders for 1,234 homes draw international condemnation
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Israel has opened tenders for 1,234 homes in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank, a move rights groups say would sever Palestinian territory in two. The plan, which would link East Jerusalem to Ma'ale Adumim, has drawn condemnation from Western governments and the UN. The tenders were published despite an ongoing legal challenge.
Key Facts
- Israel opened tenders for 1,234 homes in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank.
- The E1 project would create a continuous Israeli settlement corridor between East Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim, 7 km east of Jerusalem.
- The UN Human Rights Office has called the E1 project a 'grave and unlawful step to consolidate annexation'.
- Israeli NGO Ir Amim said the tenders were published despite an ongoing legal challenge.
E1 Settlement Plan
Plans for E1, short for 'East 1', originated under Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir in 1991 and were advanced under Yitzhak Rabin in 1994. Israel began preliminary infrastructure work for E1 in 2004 and later built roads and a police headquarters there. Residential construction has repeatedly been halted amid international pressure, including a postponement in 2022 following US pressure. The project has been revived under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, which relies on far-right parties favouring settlement expansion.
International Reaction
Several Western governments have urged Israel to withdraw the tenders and warned companies against bidding. The UN secretary-general has said settlement construction in E1 violates international law and runs directly counter to UN resolutions. Palestinian human rights advocate Ubai al-Aboudi said the project would put a 'final nail in the coffin of the two-state solution'.
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Israeli E1 settlement tenders for 1,234 homes draw international condemnation
