Israel has issued a tender for 1,234 settlement units in the E1 plan east of occupied Jerusalem, a move that advances a controversial scheme toward practical implementation. The tender covers seven settlement complexes and is seen as a significant step in reshaping the area between Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley.
The advancement of the E1 settlement plan is considered a significant obstacle to a two-state solution, as it aims to physically divide Palestinian territory and isolate East Jerusalem, thereby hindering the viability of a future Palestinian state.
Israel has issued a tender for the construction of 1,234 settlement units in the southern part of the E1 plan, located east of occupied Jerusalem. This move advances one of the most controversial settlement schemes from the approval and planning stages toward land marketing and practical implementation.
The tender, which covers seven settlement complexes and spans approximately 12,000 dunams between Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim, includes interconnected residential, industrial, and tourism plans, along with roads and infrastructure networks. The Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission stated that this tender should not be viewed as a simple housing project but as a critical step in a broader geopolitical strategy to reshape the area between Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley.
According to the commission, the E1 plan's strategic location is crucial for linking the central and southern West Bank and connecting Jerusalem with its surrounding Palestinian areas. The implementation of plans within E1 would create a continuous settlement extension eastward from Jerusalem towards Ma'ale Adumim, effectively isolating East Jerusalem from the West Bank and undermining the potential for a future Palestinian state capital. This project also threatens to restrict Palestinian territorial contiguity between governorates, forcing movement onto controlled routes and potentially confining Palestinians to disconnected enclaves.
The tender, based on detailed plan No. 420/4/7, has a deadline for bid submissions on October 19, 2026. The overall E1 project encompasses plans for 3,401 housing units, with the current tender marking the marketing phase for most units in the southern section.