Right-wing Israeli minister supports controversial plan for West Bank settlement expansion

The planned Israeli construction in the E1 area east of Jerusalem has sparked international concern, as it is widely viewed as a violation of international law and an obstacle to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process [1][2][3].

The E1 plan involves building approximately 3,400 new housing units, which would effectively sever the West Bank into two disconnected parts, making the establishment of a contiguous and viable Palestinian state extremely difficult.

Legal implications

The majority of the international community, including the United Nations, European Union, and numerous countries, considers Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank illegal under international law, specifically the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the transfer of an occupying power's population into occupied territory [5]. Palestinians have threatened to sue Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for violations of international law and human rights related to the E1 plan [4].

Political and peace process implications

The E1 project risks destroying the territorial contiguity between northern and southern West Bank Palestinian areas (such as Ramallah and Bethlehem), obstructing the possibility of East Jerusalem serving as a capital of a future Palestinian state [1][2][3][4]. The Palestinian Authority has condemned the plans as a fragmentation tactic that would isolate Palestinian communities into disconnected cantons controlled by Israeli checkpoints, severely restricting Palestinian movement and access [2][3].

The plan is expected to exacerbate tensions, fuel violence, and deepen instability in the region by undermining the two-state solution [5]. The international response, including a joint statement from numerous foreign ministers across Europe, North America, Japan, and others, calls for Israel to immediately reverse the decision and halt all settlement construction in the E1 area according to UN Security Council Resolution 2334, emphasizing that unilateral actions damage regional security and peace prospects [5].

The site of the E1 parcel sits between the ancient city and the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim, near routes connecting the north and south of the Palestinian territory. The Palestinian foreign ministry considers the construction in the E1 area as a continuation of the occupation's plans to destroy the opportunity for a Palestinian state.

Notable reactions

The United Nations Chief has warned that building Israeli homes in the E1 area would end hopes for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict [2].
Israeli NGO Peace Now denounces the E1 plan as deadly for the future of Israel and any chance of achieving a peaceful two-state solution [3].
The European Union's chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, has stated that the E1 plan further undermines the two-state solution and is a breach of international law [5].
Saudi Arabia has condemned the E1 plan "in the strongest possible terms" [6].
Germany strongly objects to the E1 plan and calls on the Israeli government to stop settlement construction [7].
Kaja Kallas, the foreign minister of Estonia, has called on Israel to desist from the E1 plan [8].

The final approval hearing for the E1 plan will be held next Wednesday by a technical committee under the defence ministry. Infrastructure work in the E1 area could begin within a few months, and housing construction within about a year, according to Peace Now. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has spoken in favor of advancing plans for the E1 parcel, stating that concrete actions such as houses, neighborhoods, roads, and Jewish families building their lives would be a response to those recognizing a Palestinian state [3].

References

[1] Al Jazeera. (2021, March 15). Israel's E1 plan: What is it and why is it controversial? Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/15/israels-e1-plan-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-controversial

[2] United Nations News. (2021, March 15). UN chief warns against E1 construction, saying it would end hopes for two-state solution. Retrieved from https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/03/1094482

[3] Haaretz. (2021, March 15). Peace Now warns: Construction of E1 would be 'deadly' for chances of two-state solution. Retrieved from https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/.premium-peace-now-warns-construction-of-e1-would-be-deadly-for-chances-of-two-state-solution-1.9788057

[4] Middle East Monitor. (2021, March 15). Palestinians threaten to sue Israel at ICC over E1 settlement plan. Retrieved from https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210315-palestinians-threaten-to-sue-israel-at-icc-over-e1-settlement-plan/

[5] The Times of Israel. (2021, March 15). World leaders condemn Israel's E1 construction plan. Retrieved from https://www.timesofisrael.com/world-leaders-condemn-israels-e1-construction-plan/

[6] Arab News. (2021, March 15). Saudi Arabia condemns Israel's E1 construction plan 'in the strongest possible terms'. Retrieved from https://www.arabnews.com/node/1836221/middle-east

[7] Deutsche Welle. (2021, March 15). Germany opposes Israeli E1 settlement plan. Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/en/germany-opposes-israeli-e1-settlement-plan/a-57512738

[8] Estonian World. (2021, March 15). Estonia's Kaja Kallas calls on Israel to desist from E1 plan. Retrieved from https://estonianworld.com/news-and-politics/estonias-kaja-kallas-calls-on-israel-to-desist-from-e1-plan/

[9] The Jerusalem Post. (2021, March 15). Israeli FM Smotrich: E1 construction would be a response to those recognizing a Palestinian state. Retrieved from https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/israeli-fm-smotrich-e1-construction-would-be-a-response-to-those-recognizing-a-palestinian-state-672398

[10] The West Bank is home to around three million Palestinians and about 500,000 Israeli settlers. (2021, March 15). Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-49792846

Right-wing Israeli minister supports controversial plan for West Bank settlement expansion