First 1,400 housing units to be marketed in controversial E1 area of West Bank
The E1 plan has drawn criticism over concerns that construction could disrupt Palestinian territorial continuity and make statehood more difficult.
The Israeli government plans to market the first 1,400 housing units in the contentious E1 area of the West Bank, located between Maale Adumim and Jerusalem. Maale Adumim Mayor Guy Yifrach announced the launch of the units, stating, "This is tremendous news for Maale Adumim, and major news for the State of Israel as a whole." The E1 corridor consists of 12 square kilometers within Maale Adumim's jurisdiction, and the construction of the housing units would increase the city's population from 38,000 to around 50,000.
The plan, approved by the Civil Administration's Higher Planning Committee in August 2025, aims to build a total of 3,412 units in E1, connecting the Palestinian villages of a-Zaa'at and al-Eizariya and providing an alternative route for Palestinians to travel between the northern and southern West Bank. However, the E1 plan has faced opposition from the United States and the European Union due to its sensitive location and potential impact on the two-state solution.
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