Jerusalem: Israel's E1 colonial settlement plan is advancing, posing a significant threat to the geographic and demographic integrity of a future sovereign Palestinian state, according to the Government Communication Center. The Center emphasized that the plan undermines the viability of a contiguous Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the Government Communication Center stated that the E1 plan is part of Israel's continuous efforts to disrupt the realization of a Palestinian state. It aims to compromise the geographic and demographic unity of the West Bank, potentially leading to its division into isolated regions surrounded by colonial settlements, facilitating eventual annexation.
The statement highlighted that if the plan proceeds, it will exacerbate forced displacement and settlement expansion, jeopardizing the two-state solution, which is widely regarded as essential for peace. The Center called on the international community to take decisive action against the implementation of the plan to protect Palestinian rights and promote a just, lasting peace.
The statement further outlined the objectives of the E1 settlement plan, which include isolating Jerusalem from Palestinian areas, disrupting the geographic continuity between Jerusalem and Palestinian communities, and expanding East Jerusalem's borders through the annexation of the Ma'ale Adumim settlement bloc. Additionally, it seeks to displace Bedouin communities and increase the Jewish population in Jerusalem at the expense of Palestinians.
The statement also noted that occupation authorities aim to displace 46 Bedouin communities in the eastern slopes and the Jordan Valley to facilitate settlement expansion and reduce Palestinian presence in these areas.
