Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his stance that “there will be no Palestinian state,” declaring that the land “belongs to Israel.” He made the remarks during a ceremony in Maale Adumim, a settlement east of Jerusalem, where he signed an agreement advancing the contentious E1 settlement project.
"There will never be a Palestinian state. This place is ours," Netanyahu said.
"We will safeguard our heritage, our land, and our security," he added.
The expansion plan, located in the occupied West Bank, has drawn international criticism as it would divide Palestinian territory and undermine prospects for a future state. By pushing forward with the E1 project, Netanyahu underscored his government’s policy of rejecting Palestinian statehood.
E1 settlement expansion project
In August 2025, Israel approved a large settlement project in the occupied West Bank, a move widely criticized for undermining prospects for a future Palestinian state. The plan involves constructing roughly 3,400 homes in a sensitive area between Jerusalem and the Maale Adumim settlement.
The controversial E1 project covers about 12 square kilometers of land long claimed by Palestinians for statehood. After years of being stalled due to international opposition, the initiative received final approval last month from Israel’s Defence Ministry planning commission.
The project, which includes new roads and infrastructure upgrades, is estimated at nearly $1 billion and could add thousands of housing units, effectively dividing the West Bank.
Last month, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich endorsed the construction of the 3,400 homes, a move condemned internationally. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that building in E1 would split the West Bank in two, jeopardizing the possibility of a contiguous Palestinian state.
Israel’s settlements in the West Bank, occupied since 1967, are considered illegal under international law. Western countries, including Britain and France, plan to recognize the State of Palestine at the United Nations later this month.
Britain has indicated it will take this step if Israel does not agree to a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, which began after Hamas’s October 2023 attack.
In recent months, far-right Israeli ministers have openly called for annexing the West Bank. The Israeli NGO Peace Now, which monitors settlement activity, warned last week that infrastructure work in E1 could begin in a few months, with housing construction starting within a year. The group described the E1 plan as “deadly for the future of Israel and for any chance of achieving a peaceful two-state solution."
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