Israel has given final approval to a settlement plan for 3,500 apartments in the E1 area of the West Bank. Palestinians and human rights organizations are protesting this move, which poses challenges for Gaza and the future Palestinian state.
Israel-Gaza: Amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Israeli army has devised a new strategy for Gaza and the West Bank. Under this plan, settlement construction has been given final approval in the controversial "E1" area of the West Bank. This will affect the geopolitical importance of Gaza and make future travel and existence challenging for Palestinians.
Palestinian and Human Rights Organizations Protest
Following the unveiling of Israel's plan for Gaza, Palestinian and international human rights organizations are protesting. They argue that this project could disrupt plans for a future Palestinian state. The E1 area settlement plan had been under consideration for the past two decades but was postponed due to American pressure. Now, the Planning and Building Committee has given it final approval, and petitions filed in protest have also been rejected.
Plan Includes 3,500 Apartments and Settlement Expansion
Under this plan, the Ma'ale Adumim settlement will be expanded, and approximately 3,500 apartments will be built. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated in a press conference that this decision was taken in response to Western plans to recognize a Palestinian state. Smotrich clarified that this step would weaken the perception of a Palestinian state and leave no basis for recognition in the future.
Difficult Path for Palestinians in the West Bank
The E1 area is located between Ramallah and Bethlehem and is a crucial connecting route for Palestinians. Settlement construction on this route will make travel between the two cities longer and more difficult. Palestinian travelers will have to pass through Israeli checkpoints, which will add several hours to the journey. The "Peace Now" organization has described this project as fatal to the two-state solution and likely to promote violence in the long term.
Israel's Settlement Expansion Plans
Israeli settlement expansion plans in the West Bank have long been a harsh reality for Palestinians. In recent months, pressure on Palestinians has increased due to attacks by settlers, evictions, and tightened checkpoints. Currently, more than 700,000 Israelis reside in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. These areas were occupied by Israel in 1967, while Palestinians claim that they should be their future state.
Opposition from International Communities
The international community considers these settlement construction plans illegal and an obstacle to the peace process. Israel's government is dominated by religious and hardline nationalist leaders who have close ties to the settlement movement. Finance Minister Smotrich has been given cabinet-level authority over settlement policies and has pledged to double the number of settlers in the West Bank.
