Israeli government opens bidding for 1,200 homes in controversial E1 project

The Israeli government issued a tender on Tuesday for the construction of seven residential compounds comprising 1,234 housing units in the E1 area east of Jerusalem. The project, located in the West Bank, has long been controversial due to concerns that it would sever the territorial continuity of a future Palestinian state. Contractors have until October 19 to submit bids, just one week before the October 27 parliamentary elections. These units are part of a broader 3,400-unit plan approved last August. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich previously lauded the expansion, stating it would effectively end the "two-state delusion." The settlement watchdog Peace Now criticized the move, accusing the government of attempting to realize an annexationist vision ahead of the elections. The group also alleged that the government violated a commitment made to the Supreme Court to provide advance notice before issuing any construction tenders in the area. Peace Now warned that the expansion would isolate Bedouin communities, including Khan al-Ahmar, and lead to their displacement. The E1 project had been frozen for years due to fierce international opposition, including from past US administrations, over fears that it would render a viable, contiguous Palestinian state impossible.