News- Middle East: Extremist Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced his intention to approve the construction of over 3,000 settler units in the highly contested E1 area of the occupied West Bank, a move that will effectively end prospects for a Palestinian state.

Smotrich said he intends to authorize tenders for the settlement expansion, in an area designed to connect the existing settlements in Maale Adumim, located in the occupied West Bank, with occupied East al-Quds.

“Approval of construction plans in E1 buries the idea of a Palestinian state and continues the many steps we are taking on the ground as part of the de facto sovereignty plan that we began implementing with the establishment of the regime,” he said.

“After decades of international pressure and freezes, we are breaking conventions and connecting Maale Adumim to Jerusalem. This is Zionism at its best - building, settling, and strengthening our sovereignty,” he added.

The announcement appears to be a direct response to recent declarations by France, Britain, Canada, and Australia expressing their intent to recognize a Palestinian state at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly next month.

The E1 project aims to sever connections between Palestinian communities and greatly hinder territorial continuity. It will create a separation between East al-Quds and certain areas of the West Bank, compelling Palestinians to undertake long detours when traveling between cities and towns.

Despite the fact that the E1 construction plan dates back to the 1990s, its execution has consistently faced delays owing to global opposition.

In March, the so-called political-security cabinet of Israel sanctioned a distinct roadway for Palestinians situated to the south of the E1 region, connecting the northern and southern parts of the West Bank.

The road was regarded as a preliminary measure for enhancing settlement expansion in the region.

More than 700,000 settlers live in over 230 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East al-Quds.

The international community views the settlements as illegal under international law and the Geneva Conventions due to their construction on occupied territories.

The UN Security Council has condemned Israel’s settlement activities in several resolutions.

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Israel’s decades-long occupation of historical Palestine illegal.

The ICJ demanded the evacuation of all existing settlements in the West Bank and East al-Quds. It was mere words.

Source: press TV