Overview

• An Israeli defense ministry planning body granted final approval for the E1 project east of Jerusalem, authorizing roughly 3,400–3,500 housing units adjacent to Maale Adumim.
• Peace Now said infrastructure work could start within months with housing construction in about a year, following the rejection of final petitions on Aug. 6.
• Critics say the development would sever the remaining land link between Ramallah and Bethlehem and undercut prospects for a contiguous Palestinian state.
• Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich celebrated the move as burying the idea of Palestinian statehood and also cited approval for 350 homes in Ashael near Hebron.
• The Palestinian Authority, the United Nations and European governments condemned the decision as contrary to international law, while observers warned it could widen Israel’s diplomatic rifts as some allies weigh recognizing a Palestinian state.