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Israel’s Smotrich Approves Controversial West Bank Settlement. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced plans to build a long-delayed settlement in Maale Adumim, aiming to cut off the West Bank from East Jerusalem. Smotrich’s office said the development would "bury" the idea of a Palestinian state, sparking condemnation from Palestinian authorities and international allies. Standing at the site, Smotrich claimed Prime Minister Netanyahu and U.S. President Trump supported reviving the E1 project, though no confirmation was provided. Smotrich declared that the settlement would answer the world’s recognition of a Palestinian state “with facts of houses, facts of neighbourhoods.” The U.S. State Department emphasized its focus on Gaza peace efforts while stating that a stable West Bank is vital for Israel’s security. The United Nations urged Israel to reverse the decision, warning that the settlement threatens the two-state solution and violates international law. Palestinians fear the E1 development, which includes 3,401 new houses, would permanently block the creation of a contiguous Palestinian state. Rights group Breaking the Silence called the project a land grab that fragments Palestinian territory and entrenches apartheid. European Union and UK officials condemned the settlement plan as illegal under international law, warning it breaches peace agreements and must be stopped.
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