85 Members of Congress Urge Trump to Intervene to Halt Colonial Project East of Jerusalem

SadaNews - 85 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have called on President Donald Trump's administration to use all available diplomatic tools to stop the Israeli colonial construction project named E-1 in the occupied East Jerusalem area, warning that the implementation of the project will impose a permanent reality on the ground and undermine the prospects for a two-state solution.

The call came in a letter addressed by the lawmakers to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, led by Democratic Representatives Mark Pocan and Jan Schakowsky, emphasizing that the colonial project has reached a critical stage as the Israeli occupation government nears the completion of bidding procedures and signing contracts related to construction.

The signatories explained that the E-1 colonial area, extending over approximately 12 square kilometers east of Jerusalem, is one of the most sensitive areas in the West Bank, as the settlement construction there will lead to separating the northern West Bank from the southern part, and enhance the geographical connection between Jerusalem and the "Ma'ale Adumim" settlement, thus entrenching Israeli control over a strategic area in the heart of the West Bank.

Members of Congress pointed out that the Israeli government approved during 2025 the construction plans in the area, announcing bids for the creation of 3,401 new colonial units, in addition to commercial projects and infrastructure related to the plan, in a step they described as paving the way for a permanent change in the geographical and political reality of the area.

They also highlighted other Israeli measures related to the project, including plans to pave what is known as the "sovereignty road," in addition to steps targeting the Bedouin community in Khan al-Ahmar, considering these measures as part of an accelerated process aimed at imposing new realities on the ground that are difficult to reverse in the future.

The lawmakers affirmed that implementing the E-1 colonial project will undermine the possibility of establishing a geographically connected Palestinian state, calling on the U.S. State Department to clearly inform the Israeli government that proceeding with the project contradicts the declared U.S. positions regarding the future of the West Bank.

The letter referenced previous statements by President Donald Trump in which he expressed his opposition to the annexation of the West Bank, as well as official positions issued by the White House that stressed the rejection of any unilateral steps that would alter the final status of Palestinian lands.

This letter represents one of the largest U.S. parliamentary initiatives related to the colonial file this year, reflecting growing concern within Congress about the political and geographical implications of the E-1 project on the future of the peace process and the possibility of reaching a political settlement based on a two-state solution.

The list of signatories included several members of the progressive caucus in the Democratic Party, including Eleanor Holmes Norton, Jasmine Crockett, Jamie Raskin, Jim McGovern, Rosa DeLauro, and Betty McCollum, in addition to dozens of representatives.