Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced his approval of the new E1 settlement plan, Israeli media reported Wednesday night.
Included in the plan is the construction of over 3,400 homes in Ma’aleh Adumim.
This action would effectively bring to a standstill the ongoing expansion and development of the metropolitan area that links together the cities of Ramallah, East Jerusalem, and Bethlehem, preventing any further growth or sprawl in this interconnected urban region.
Smotrich is quoted saying: “The plan will bury the idea of a 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,” he added.
Smotrich continues: “The approval of construction in the E1 area undermines the idea of a Palestinian state and is part of the broader steps we are taking as part of our defacto sovereignty plan, which began with the formation of this government. After decades of international pressure and freezing of projects, we are defying conventions and cementing the connection between Ma’aleh Adumim and Jerusalem.”
Many ambitious building plans like this have been made before. Many take years to come to fruition, with the majority being scrapped altogether. Let’s hope that with the current government and ongoing security concerns in Israel, this plan will move forward in the hopes of making the greater Jerusalem area safer.