Israeli attorney general defers bidding deadline for West Bank settlement project

Israel's attorney general has postponed the bidding deadline for a major settlement project in the occupied West Bank, drawing criticism from various quarters. The E1 plan, which was approved by Israel last year, involves constructing over 1,200 housing units in a sensitive area that would further isolate Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank.

The decision to push back the deadline by one month was made to avoid the tender being used for election propaganda as Israel gears up for general elections on October 27. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is contesting the elections, is facing pressure from his right-wing government, which has been advocating for new settlement construction.

The attorney general's decision has been met with condemnation, including from the mayor of Maale Adumim, an Israeli settlement expected to expand into the E1 zone, who petitioned the Supreme Court against the postponement. Six European countries had previously called on Israel to halt the E1 project in August. Despite the legal challenges, the attorney general's office maintains that adequate legal safeguards are in place for the development project.