Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has officially approved a controversial settlement expansion plan in the E1 area, situated between East Jerusalem and the settlement of Ma'ale Adumim in the central West Bank. The plan, signed on September 11, includes the construction of approximately 3,400 housing units and signifies what Israel considers the onset of its de facto annexation of the entire West Bank. Netanyahu's statement that "there will be no Palestinian state" highlights the project's declarative nature as a political tool to obstruct Palestinian statehood rather than solely a residential development.
According to Anadolu Agency, the UN General Assembly adopted the New York Declaration on September 12, with a significant majority (142-10, with 12 abstentions), urging concrete and irreversible steps toward establishing an independent Palestinian state. The resolution underscores the illegality of settlements and the urgent necessity to end the occupation as part of a two-state solution. This vote indicates growing recognition of Palestine's legitimacy amid existential threats posed by settlement expansions.
The E1 project extends beyond housing construction for Israeli settlers and is part of a broader strategy to strengthen Israeli control over Jerusalem. It isolates East Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings and fragments the northern and southern parts of the West Bank, undermining the possibility of a contiguous and viable Palestinian state.
According to international law, the E1 project breaches principles of territorial integrity and self-determination, as outlined in the UN Charter and Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016). This resolution asserts that "no Israeli settlement in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967 has legal validity." Israel's actions in the E1 area are seen as an illicit act of aggression, contradicting the principle of inadmissibility of acquiring territory through force, and contravening the July 19, 2024, International Court of Justice verdict instructing Israel to terminate its illegal occupation.
Recent international recognition of Palestine has increased, with countries like the UK and France acknowledging its statehood. The New York Declaration represents a culmination of this process, with nearly three-quarters of UN member states supporting Palestinian statehood.
Despite this recognition, material foundations for statehood-such as contiguous territory, natural resources, freedom of movement, and East Jerusalem as a capital-remain compromised by ongoing occupation and settlement policies. The international community faces a paradox: supporting a two-state solution through declarations while Israel advances the E1 plan, making a Palestinian state and East Jerusalem as its capital increasingly unattainable.
Resolving this contradiction requires accelerated international accountability, including measures like sanctioning settlement construction through the International Criminal Court. States should couple recognition with tangible support for Palestinian territorial integrity, employing diplomatic, military, and economic pressure.
The E1 project is more than a hypothetical plan; it is an unfolding reality that tests the international community's commitment to upholding international law and the two-state solution. The New York Declaration, while significant, will remain symbolic without concrete judicial, diplomatic, economic, and military actions to support Palestinian control over the E1 area and prevent its annexation.