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Israel issues tender for E1 settlement units in West Bank
Israel's Ministry of Construction and Housing has issued a tender for 1,234 housing units in the E1 area, a strategic location east of Jerusalem. The project is part of a larger plan for 3,401 units approved in August 2025. The tender deadline is October 19, one week before Israel's parliamentary elections.
Analysts warn that construction in the 12-square-kilometer E1 zone would sever the territorial continuity of the West Bank, physically separating Bethlehem, East Jerusalem, and Ramallah. This development could jeopardize the viability of a future Palestinian state and directly impact approximately 3,700 Palestinians, primarily in Bedouin communities. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has stated that the project aims to eliminate the possibility of a two-state solution.
The announcement has drawn sharp international condemnation. The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and the European Commission issued a joint statement declaring the decision unacceptable. Turkey also criticized the move. Peace Now warned that the government might sign binding contracts before a new administration is formed, making the project difficult to reverse.
Entities
Bezalel Smotrich · Israel · Jerusalem · Ma'ale Adumim · West Bank
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 5 SOURCES] Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated the construction erases the illusion of a two-state solution. www.jutarnji.hr · n1info.hr · www.telegram.hr · vijesti.hrt.hr · www.index.hr
- [● 5 SOURCES] The tender deadline for contractors is October 19. www.jutarnji.hr · n1info.hr · www.telegram.hr · vijesti.hrt.hr · www.index.hr
- [● 4 SOURCES] The project directly threatens approximately 3,700 Palestinians, primarily Bedouin communities. www.jutarnji.hr · n1info.hr · www.telegram.hr · vijesti.hrt.hr
- [● 4 SOURCES] Construction in the E1 area would sever the territorial continuity of the West Bank between Bethlehem, East Jerusalem, and Ramallah. www.jutarnji.hr · n1info.hr · www.telegram.hr · vijesti.hrt.hr
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The organization Peace Now warned that binding contracts could be signed before a new government is formed, making the project harder to stop. www.index.hr
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Multiple nations and the European Commission issued a joint statement calling the Israeli decision unacceptable. www.index.hr