Jerusalem: The Israeli government broke a commitment over the controversial E1 illegal settlement project in occupied East Jerusalem by issuing a tender for 1,234 illegal settlement units without notifying petitioners who had challenged the project in court, three Israeli rights groups said Tuesday.
According to Anadolu Agency, the three groups - Ir Amim, Bimkom, and Peace Now - stated that the tender was issued while legal proceedings over the project remain before the Jerusalem District Court, and before the government has submitted its formal response to the petition.
The E1 plan encompasses approximately 12 square kilometers east of Jerusalem and aims to connect the illegal Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim with Jerusalem through the construction of Israeli housing on Palestinian land. The groups and several Palestinian communities, who have contested the project, accuse the government of breaking a formal commitment made through the State Attorney's Office to provide advance notice before issuing any tenders related to E1.
The tender includes 1,234 illegal settlement units, which is nearly half of the 3,401 units approved as part of the broader E1 project. The groups argue that implementing even this phase will create irreversible changes with significant political and geographic consequences.
The State Attorney's Office had previously informed the petitioners on July 19 that no tenders related to E1 were expected in the coming months and assured them of advance notice if the government decided to proceed with a tender. However, the groups reported that the government issued the first tender without prior notice, with the petitioners only becoming aware of it through a government announcement celebrating the tender's publication.
The E1 project calls for the construction of around 3,400 illegal settlement units to form a continuous Israeli urban area linking Maale Adumim with Jerusalem. For more than three decades, successive Israeli governments have refrained from advancing the project due to widespread international opposition and concerns about its potential to disrupt the geographic continuity of the occupied West Bank, isolate East Jerusalem, and undermine prospects for a two-state solution.
The decision to issue a partial tender after committing to the petitioners raises serious questions and requires an explanation, the groups stated. They suggested that issuing a partial tender might be an attempt to advance the project while minimizing legal scrutiny and public attention. The groups' statement comes as legal proceedings over the E1 project continue before the Jerusalem District Court, and before the government has submitted its official response to the petition.