Chicago – August 20, 2026
The Israeli government has moved forward with an internationally condemned settlement plan in the occupied West Bank that critics warn could effectively “bury” the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
E1 Settlement Tender Issued
Israel’s Housing Ministry issued a notice on August 18, 2026, inviting bids for the construction of more than 1,200 housing units in the E1 area near Jerusalem, aiming to create a continuous bloc of Jewish settlements from East Jerusalem to the West Bank. The controversial E1 settlement plan, approved last year, includes tenders for approximately 3,400 total housing units across roughly 12 square kilometres of Palestinian land.news.
International Backlash
The move has triggered widespread condemnation from major Western powers and regional actors. The UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, and Norway issued a joint statement calling the decision “unacceptable” and urging Israel to “retract the plans immediately.” UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband described it as “an unacceptable and destructive act,” warning that Britain “will not stand back and accept the destruction of the two-state solution.”
Threat to Palestinian Statehood
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned the E1 plan poses an “existential threat” to a contiguous Palestinian state, as it would sever the connection between occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank while bisecting north and south. Egypt, Jordan, the Arab League, and Al-Azhar similarly condemned the project, stating it undermines prospects for implementing the two-state solution and threatens the territorial integrity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.news.
All Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal under international law by most of the international community and the United Nations.
