Smotrich Approves Construction of 3,401 Settlement Units in the West Bank

SadaNews - Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has approved the construction of 3,401 settlement units as part of the settlement plan in the E1 area located east of Jerusalem, which is expected to separate northern West Bank from the southern part.

Smotrich announced late Wednesday that he would hold a press conference on Thursday with a settlement council leader named Yisrael Gantz and the head of the "Ma'ale Adumim" settlement, settler Guy Yifrah, indicating that he would present the settlement plan in E1 for building 3,401 new housing units.

Smotrich stated, "This is a historic achievement in the settlement journey; after more than 20 years of political stagnation due to intense pressure from world countries and the Palestinian Authority, here is the E1 plan, now in execution."

He added, "This plan effectively connects Ma'ale Adumim to Jerusalem, cuts off Arab communication between Ramallah and Bethlehem, and is the last nail in the coffin of the idea of a Palestinian state."

In a related context, Israeli occupation authorities notified on Wednesday the demolition and evacuation of more than 13 residential, agricultural, and industrial facilities in the Wadi Al-Hawadith area of Al-Eizariya, southeast of Jerusalem.

The Jerusalem Governorate stated in a statement that these notifications come as part of a plan to pave the way for the so-called "Life Line Road" settlement project.

It noted that this step came just one day after the distribution of about 14 similar notifications in the areas of Wadi Al-Jamal and Jabal Al-Baba, following a previous campaign a few days ago, which included issuing 13 notifications at the entrance of Al-Eizariya, threatening to separate Wadi Al-Jamal and Jabal Al-Baba from the town, completely isolating it.

The governorate confirmed that these actions are part of a comprehensive Judaization plan linking this settlement project to broader plans, such as the "E1" project and the "Greater Jerusalem" plan, aimed at expanding settlements and cutting off geographic communication between Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Last March, the cabinet approved paving a road designated for Palestinians south of the E1 area, aimed at implementing construction plans and paving the way for the future annexation of the "Ma'ale Adumim" settlement.

The new road will connect Palestinian villages in the northern West Bank with those in the south, while Palestinian vehicle traffic will be diverted away from Route No. 1, making it available for near-exclusive use by settlers and Jews between Jerusalem and "Ma'ale Adumim."

For its part, the "Peace Now" organization submitted an official objection to the project, stating in its announcement that "the Netanyahu-Smotrich government is exploiting the war on Gaza, the fragile internal situation in Israel, and the confused international stance to impose ground realities that undermine the chance of achieving peace and a two-state solution," adding that "this government is driving us towards continued conflict and bloodshed, leading Israel towards a precipice. The implementation of this project will be a historical disaster and will make the possibility of achieving a peaceful future harder than ever."