Israel Advances West Bank Settlement Cutting Territory in Two/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israel has approved a long-delayed settlement project in the E1 area near Jerusalem, threatening to split the West Bank. Critics warn it will obstruct any future Palestinian state. Meanwhile, regional tensions grow with new Israeli-Syrian talks and Gaza aid challenges.
Israel Settlement Expansion Quick Looks
- Israel issues final tender to start construction in E1 area
- E1 project would bisect West Bank, blocking Palestinian statehood
- International critics label settlement illegal under international law
- Far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich pushes project forward
- 3,401 housing units planned east of Jerusalem
- Peace Now calls tender an “accelerated effort”
- Israeli and Syrian officials resume U.S.-mediated security talks in Paris
- U.N. says Gaza food stocks now meet minimum needs
- Israel revokes licenses of major aid groups including Oxfam
- Israeli raid on West Bank university injures 11 protesters
- Foreign media denied Gaza access despite ongoing ceasefire
Israel Advances West Bank Settlement Cutting Territory in Two
Deep Look
Israel has moved one step closer to beginning construction on one of its most contentious settlement projects in decades, known as the E1 plan, which is widely viewed as a strategic move that would effectively split the West Bank into two disconnected zones. A newly released government tender seeks developers to begin work on over 3,400 housing units in the E1 area, marking the final administrative hurdle before construction begins.
The anti-settlement watchdog Peace Now, which first reported the release of the tender, warned that construction could begin within weeks. Yoni Mizrahi, head of Peace Now’s settlement monitoring division, described the move as a “fast-tracked effort” to advance settlement activity in a region considered a red line by much of the international community.
Located just east of Jerusalem, the E1 area has long been considered a critical corridor for Palestinian territorial continuity. Critics argue that building settlements in this space would make it impossible to establish a viable, contiguous Palestinian state — a key tenet of the two-state solution endorsed by many global powers. The United Nations and European Union consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law.
The project had been frozen for years due to pressure from previous U.S. administrations, which viewed it as a major impediment to peace negotiations. However, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a prominent figure in Israel’s far-right political wing, has revived the plan and strongly supports moving forward.
“The Palestinian state is being erased from the table not with slogans but with actions,” Smotrich said last August when the plan received final government approval. “Every settlement, every neighborhood, every housing unit is another nail in the coffin of this dangerous idea.”
The newly published tender appears on Israel’s Land Authority website, calling for proposals to build 3,401 homes in E1. Activists fear the project could spark regional unrest and significantly heighten tensions in the already volatile West Bank.
Amid the controversy, Israeli and Syrian representatives met in Paris on Tuesday for U.S.-mediated talks. The joint statement released after the meeting said the discussions focused on Syrian sovereignty, Israeli security, and bilateral stability. The two sides agreed to establish a communications cell for intelligence sharing, de-escalation, and diplomatic coordination under U.S. supervision.
Syria’s interim government, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, took power after toppling longtime dictator Bashar Assad in late 2024. Though al-Sharaa has signaled a desire for peaceful relations, Israel remains skeptical of Syria’s Islamist-led leadership. Since Assad’s fall, Israel has seized parts of a demilitarized buffer zone along the border and launched multiple airstrikes against Syrian military positions.
Syria’s priority, according to its delegation, is the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and a return to the 1974 disengagement agreement. Israel, meanwhile, insists on protecting its northern border and supporting the Druze minority on both sides.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has shown marginal improvement. For the first time since war erupted more than two years ago, U.N. agencies report that food supplies are sufficient to meet the minimum daily caloric needs of the population. U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the January delivery round was the first since October 2023 to meet 100% of the target.
The progress comes despite major obstacles. Israel recently revoked the licenses of over three dozen international aid groups, including Doctors Without Borders, Oxfam, and the Norwegian Refugee Council, severely impacting humanitarian operations. The European Union urged Israel to reverse the restrictions, warning that delays in aid distribution could lead to widespread hunger and preventable deaths.
“To deliver aid rapidly, safely and at the scale required, international NGOs must be able to operate in a sustained and predictable way,” said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
Tensions also erupted in the West Bank on Tuesday after Israeli forces raided Birzeit University. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that 11 people were injured during the incursion. According to university president Talal Shahwan, Israeli military vehicles stormed the campus gates and used force against students.
“Unfortunately, targeting the university is a recurring event,” said Shahwan, condemning the “clear brutality” displayed during the raid. Video footage confirmed the presence of Israeli forces on campus.
The Israeli military said it responded to a gathering that had escalated into violent protest, with individuals allegedly throwing rocks from rooftops. They claimed to have used targeted fire to disperse what they described as the “main violent individuals.”
Finally, international media organizations are pushing back against Israel’s continued refusal to allow foreign journalists into Gaza. Despite a ceasefire in place since October 10, 2025, the government maintains a ban on foreign press access, citing security concerns.
The Foreign Press Association, which represents dozens of global media outlets, including The Associated Press, has appealed to Israel’s Supreme Court. After months of legal delays, the Israeli government reiterated its opposition to lifting the ban this week.
The association issued a statement expressing “profound disappointment” in the government’s decision and called for immediate action to restore press freedom and independent reporting from Gaza.
From settlement expansions in the West Bank to diplomatic overtures with Syria and humanitarian disputes in Gaza, Israel finds itself at the center of multiple flashpoints. As construction plans in the E1 zone move forward, observers warn of escalating tensions not only within Palestinian territories but across the broader Middle East.
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