Israel's Smotrich to approve E1 settlement plan that 'buries Palestinian state'

Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s finance minister, has announced that he is set to approve the highly controversial E1 settlement project as it “buries the idea of a Palestinian state”. 

The minister said on Wednesday that he planned to approve tenders to build more than 3,000 housing units for Israeli settlers, in an area that aims to connect existing settlements in Maale Adumim in the occupied West Bank with occupied East Jerusalem.

“Approval of construction plans in E1 buries the idea of a Palestinian state and continues the many steps we are taking on the ground as part of the de facto sovereignty plan that we began implementing with the establishment of the government,” Smotrich said.

“After decades of international pressure and freezes, we are breaking conventions and connecting Maale Adumim to Jerusalem. This is Zionism at its best - building, settling, and strengthening our sovereignty in the Land of Israel.” 

The announcement appears to be a direct response to France, Britain, Canada and Australia announcing in recent days their intentions to recognise a Palestinian state at a United Nations summit next month. 

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