Far‑right Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich announced a controversial plan that would annex the E1 zone, linking Jerusalem to Maale Adumim and displacing thousands of Palestinians amid mounting international opposition.
Israeli Minister Smotrich Announces E1 Settlement Plan
The plan, suspended for decades by global opposition, is now set to be revived. For Palestinians and the international community, the E1 area is strategic; without it, the envisioned Palestinian state could not survive in East Jerusalem. Far‑right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, himself a settler, declared that “the Palestinian state is being erased not by slogans but by actions.” The occupation of E1 would connect Jerusalem to the settlement Maale Adumim, bisect the West Bank, and break the “Arabic continuity” between Ramallah and Bethlehem. Smotrich approved the construction of 3,401 new houses near Maale Adumim and an additional 3,515 farther away, saying, “They speak of a Palestinian dream while we build a Jewish reality—an outcome that will ultimately bury the idea of Palestinian state‑hood, because there is nothing here to recognize.”
Retaliation for Recognition of Palestinian State
Smotrich said the revival of the plan is a response to the wave of international support for Palestinian statehood. France, Australia, Canada and Portugal have submitted such plans, and over 140 states, including Pol and, currently recognize Palestine. Prime Minister Netanyahu has launched a “crusade” against governments endorsing Palestine, labeling them anti‑Semitic and anti‑Israeli. In letters and public statements, he calls actions against these countries “anti‑Semitic” and sets September 23 as a deadline for France and Australia to “take action against pure anti‑Semitism.”
Israeli Watchdog Warns of Further Bloodshed
The Israeli watchdog Peace Now warns that annexation would be “deadly to Israel’s future and any chance of a peaceful two‑state solution.” “We are on the brink of a chasm, and the government is heading there at breakneck speed,” the report says. It argues that resolving the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict and ending the war in Gaza requires establishing a Palestinian state adjacent to Israel, and argues that annexation moves push Israel away from that solution while guaranteeing years of bloodshed. Another watchdog, Ir Amim, highlights that settlements would entrench West Bank occupation, create an apartheid reality, worsen Palestinians’ economic and social conditions, and bring increased instability and violence.
International Law Violation Lumped into Flashing Condemnation
Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemns the plan, demanding the Israeli government reverse the decision. He calls the settlement scheme a blatant violation of international law that fundamentally undermines the coexistence of Palestinian and Israeli states. France, Germany and various Arab nations have joined the protest. EU diplomatic chief Kaja Kallas has urged Israel to halt the actions, warning that settler violence and Israeli military operations only exacerbate the already tense situation and erode any chance of peace.
Source: Gazeta,
