What You Need to Know
• The Israeli housing ministry issued a tender for 1,234 housing units on 18 October 2023.
• This project is located between East Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim, covering 12 square kilometers.
• Opponents argue that the E1 project would obstruct the establishment of a Palestinian state by dividing the West Bank.
On 18 October 2023, Israeli Housing Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced a tender for 1,234 of the 3,401 housing units approved by the Israeli government in August. This development is situated in a 12 square kilometer area between East Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim. The deadline for bids is set for 19 October, just days before Israel’s general election on 27 October, complicating any potential future government’s ability to reverse the tender. Since the 1967 Middle East war, Israel has established approximately 160 settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, housing around 700,000 Jewish residents, while about 3.3 million Palestinians live in the same regions. The expansion of settlements has notably increased since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s return to power in late 2022, amid ongoing tensions following Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October 2023.
Why It Matters
The issuance of the tender for housing units is significant as it reflects ongoing Israeli settlement expansion in contested territories. The E1 project has been criticized for its potential to hinder the creation of a contiguous Palestinian state by physically separating regions of the West Bank. Historically, Israeli settlements have been a contentious issue, with international opposition growing against their expansion. The political context surrounding the upcoming Israeli elections adds urgency to the situation, as it may limit future governmental responses to these developments.
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