Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced there will be no Palestinian state, affirming support for the controversial E1 settlement expansion plan during a visit to the Male Admim settlement near Jerusalem. This plan will involve construction of 3,412 housing units and significant infrastructure upgrades, dividing the West Bank and separating it from East Jerusalem, which critics argue jeopardizes the viability of a future Palestinian state.
Netanyahu emphasized Israel’s commitment to the land, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich hinted at future plans to annex the West Bank. The project, previously stalled due to international opposition, has now received approval from the Ministry of Defense and is set to commence within months. Some Israeli officials are advocating for the recognition of Palestinian statehood, while organizations monitoring the settlement process warn that the E1 plan could undermine the prospects for peace.
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