Palestinian teen shot and killed in West Bank attack, UN responds

Israel's E1 West Bank settlement plan has sparked widespread international condemnation, with critics arguing that it effectively dismantles the possibility of a two-state solution. The plan, announced by the Israeli Housing Ministry, involves the construction of seven residential compounds housing 1,234 units in the E1 area near Jerusalem.

This area is strategically located to create a continuous chain of Jewish settlements from East Jerusalem to the West Bank, effectively dividing the West Bank into northern and southern segments. This would render a contiguous Palestinian state impossible, as it would separate key Palestinian territories such as Bethlehem, East Jerusalem, and Ramallah.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich dismissed concerns about the two-state delusion, stating that the E1 expansion plan would "practically erase" it. The project, which includes roughly 3,400 housing units, was initially frozen for years due to international opposition. The United States, while opposing the annexation of the West Bank, refrained from condemning the E1 plan.

European leaders have also strongly condemned the project, with some even threatening sanctions if construction begins.