Israel to Build West Bank Settlements, Thwarting Palestinian State | JQJO

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced plans to build over 3,000 homes in the E1 settlement project in the occupied West Bank. This move, he claims, will prevent the creation of a Palestinian state. The E1 project, between Jerusalem and Maale Adumim, has been frozen for decades due to international opposition. Building there would effectively bisect the West Bank, hindering Palestinian territorial contiguity. The announcement follows recent declarations by several countries to recognize a Palestinian state, a move Israel opposes. Settlements are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.