Smotrich: 3,400 new homes will ‘bury’ Palestinian state plan

International critics say the E-1 area is crucial for a future Palestinian state, with its capital in east Jerusalem.

By World Israel News Staff

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Thursday that he had approved tenders for the construction of approximately 3,400 new housing units in the Samaria area near Jerusalem, declaring the move would put the “nail in the coffin” of a future Palestinian state.

According to Smotrich, the units are part of the long-stalled E-1 project, which would establish new Jewish communities between Jerusalem and its eastern suburb, the settlement of Ma’ale Adumim.

Plans to build in this area have been frozen for decades due to international opposition, as the strip of land is considered highly strategic for the potential establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

“From the Palestinian perspective and that of the international community, this is a critical area. Without it, the establishment of a Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital is simply impossible,” Smotrich said in a media statement.

“Approval of construction plans in E-1 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 government.”

Settler leader Israel Ganz, head of the Binyamin Regional Council, praised the move as a “historic achievement.”

Ma’ale Adumim Mayor Guy Ifrah also welcomed the plan, saying it would improve security for residents.

“Palestinians have tried to undermine this area through illegal construction, but the creation of this new neighborhood will thwart their efforts,” Ifrah said.

However, the Israeli government — aside from Smotrich — has not officially confirmed the approval or provided details on the exact location of the units.

Left-wing activist group Peace Now cast doubt on Smotrich’s claim that the project is located in the E-1 corridor, saying the tenders instead involve a large neighborhood connecting Ma’ale Adumim’s built-up area with its eastern industrial zone.

“The 3,300 housing units in Ma’ale Adumim represent an increase of about 33 percent in the settlement’s housing stock — an enormous expansion for a settlement whose population has been stagnant for the past decade and has experienced net migration,” the group said.

The Israeli government has yet to respond to Peace Now’s claims about the location of the new housing.