Agadir – Israel has opened tenders for the construction of 1,234 housing units in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank, advancing one of the most controversial settlement projects in the territory.
The tender, published by Israel’s Ministry of Construction and Housing on August 18, covers seven residential compounds and forms part of a broader plan for 3,401 housing units in E1, an area east of occupied East Jerusalem.
The development has drawn particular concern because of E1’s strategic location between East Jerusalem and the Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Adumim.
Why is E1 so controversial?
The E1 area covers roughly 12 square kilometers east of Jerusalem. Its development would strengthen the territorial link between Ma’ale Adumim and Jerusalem while limiting Palestinian movement and connectivity between communities in different parts of the West Bank.
The UN has said Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have no legal validity under international law and constitute a violation of international law and relevant UN resolutions.
The UN position is based, among other things, on Security Council Resolution 2334, which calls on Israel to cease settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory.
The UN Human Rights Office previously described the E1 project as a “grave and unlawful step” toward consolidating the annexation of the occupied West Bank.
It warned that construction could further restrict Palestinians’ access to healthcare, education, employment, and family and social connections.
The project has also raised concerns about the future of Palestinian Bedouin communities living in the area. UN humanitarian officials previously warned that implementation of the E1 plan could increase the risk of forced displacement for 18 Palestinian Bedouin communities comprising more than 3,500 people.
International condemnation
The decision has triggered a coordinated response from a group of Western governments.
On August 20, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the European Commission, the Netherlands, Canada, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Belgium, Spain, Austria, and Greece said Israel’s decision to publish the tenders was “unacceptable.”
They warned that the E1 project would drive a wedge through the West Bank, damage the territorial continuity of the Palestinian territories, and undermine the prospects for a two-state solution. The governments called on Israel to withdraw the tenders immediately and urged businesses not to participate.
The joint statement also warned companies of potential legal and reputational consequences, including the risk of involvement in serious breaches of international law.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen separately described the tender as unacceptable, saying the project would divide the West Bank and break the territorial continuity of the Palestinian territories.
“The Israeli Government’s decision to publish construction tenders for the E1 settlement project is unacceptable. We have long opposed this step,” von der Leyen stated.
“It undermines the two-state solution by dividing the West Bank and breaking the territorial continuity of the Palestinian Territories. We remain committed to a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution,” she added.
