Netanyahu rules out Palestinian state, pushes forward with West Bank settlement expansion

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that his government will not allow the establishment of a Palestinian state, reiterating his stance while advancing a contentious settlement plan in the occupied West Bank.

The initiative, known as the E1 project, involves the construction of more than 3,400 housing units across a 12-square-kilometre stretch of land between East Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim. If completed, the project could accommodate up to 15,000 new residents, adding to Maale Adumim’s existing population of roughly 38,000.

At the project’s signing ceremony, Netanyahu pledged to expand the city’s population and strengthen Israel’s hold over the area, framing the move as essential for the nation’s security and identity. His statement follows earlier support from Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who endorsed the housing plan despite widespread criticism.

The United Nations has cautioned that development in the E1 zone would effectively sever the West Bank, posing a serious obstacle to the creation of a viable and contiguous Palestinian state. UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the proposal as a direct threat to the two-state solution.