The Israeli government has authorized the construction of more than 7,000 new settlement homes in the West Bank, the largest number ever authorized in one sitting, and has placed the highly controversial E1 settlement project back on the docket. The E1 project would bisect Palestinian contiguity in the West Bank and has been delayed several times. The recent authorizations come just as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has neared its two-month anniversary. The foundation of the coalition that established the government pledged to significantly expand settlements and included a commitment to annex large parts of the West Bank. Critics claim that the government is still moving forward with de-facto annexation. Although most of the international community considers all settlement activity illegal, Israel differentiates between legal and illegal settlements.
The E1 Project
The E1 project involves building 3,412 homes in a new neighborhood of Ma’ale Adumim that would prevent the development of a Palestinian metropolis connecting East Jerusalem to Bethlehem and Ramallah. Critics describe it as a “doomsday” settlement as it would divide the West Bank into northern and southern regions. The hearing to adjudicate objections to the project is rescheduled for March 27, 2023. The project requires several additional approvals before construction can begin.
The Settlement Plans
The Civil Administration’s High Planning Subcommittee recently convened, and plans for 7,157 new settler homes were advanced, including 5,257 homes in 35 settlements cleared through the “deposit” planning stage, along with 1,900 homes that received final approval for construction. The plans include projects in four illegal outposts that will be formally legalized upon authorization of the final planning stage. The government also announced that it would legalize nine outposts in response to a series of terror attacks in East Jerusalem.
The Implications
The Peace Now settlement watchdog has accused the government of “destroying any chance for a political solution and peace.” The E1 project would prevent the development of a Palestinian metropolis and bisect Palestinian contiguity in the West Bank. This move could be a major win for settler leaders who have pushed for expansion. With each step in the approval process, settlement projects become more difficult to prevent, and the recent authorizations are likely to escalate tensions in the region.
