Controversial Settlement Project Endorsed by Israeli Minister

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has greenlit a controversial settlement project in the West Bank, aimed at developing the E1 corridor. Smotrich claims the initiative, endorsed by both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former U.S. President Donald Trump, is intended to shut down the prospect of a Palestinian state. The move has been widely condemned by international allies and human rights organizations. The United Nations and several Western nations have urged Israel to reconsider, arguing that the settlement's construction violates international law and undermines the possibility of peace in the region.

Standing at the intended site, Smotrich stated that efforts to recognize a Palestinian state would be countered by tangible developments on the ground, primarily through housing and neighborhood construction. The U.S. State Department reiterated that a stable West Bank aligns with their peace ambitions, but shifted focus to ending the Gaza conflict.

With the United Nations appealing for Israel to retract the settlement initiative, citing it as an obstacle to a two-state solution, the decision faces mounting criticism. Previously frozen in 2012 and 2020, the Maale Adumim plans are seen as potentially isolating Israel on the international stage amid ongoing tensions. Concerns also linger about the implications for Palestinians seeking to establish their own state, as Israeli settler numbers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem rise.

(With inputs from agencies.)