Israel opens up tenders for controversial West Bank settlement project
Israel has opened tenders for 1,200 new settlement homes in the E1 area of the West Bank, a move that critics argue threatens the viability of a future Palestinian state. The project is highly controversial as it would effectively bisect the West Bank and isolate East Jerusalem.
Why it matters
The expansion of settlements in the West Bank is a major point of contention in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and is widely considered illegal under international law.
Image source, AFP via Getty Images Image caption, File photo of the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim in the occupied West Bank next to the so-called E1 project in East Jerusalem, taken in February 2026
Israel has opened up tenders for the construction of some 1,200 settlement homes in a strategically important part of the occupied West Bank, as the government seeks to end any chance of a Palestinian state.
Plans to build on the so-called E1 area - east of Jerusalem - have long been internationally condemned.
The development would in effect divide the West Bank in two and isolate East Jerusalem.
The deadline for bids is days before Israel's October's general election , making it much harder for any future government to overturn any tenders issued.
Settlements are illegal under international law.
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