The UN human rights office said on Friday that Israel's decision to build a new settlement near east Jerusalem was illegal under international law and that it put nearby Palestinians at risk of forced eviction, which it described as a war crime.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich approved plans for a settlement that would split east Jerusalem from the West Bank, saying the move would "bury" the idea of a Palestinian state.
“From the Palestinian perspective and that of the international community, this is a critical area. Without it, the establishment of a Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital is simply impossible,” he added.
Smotrich approves E1 plan
“The approval of construction in the E1 area undermines the idea of a Palestinian state and is part of the broader steps we are taking as part of our de facto sovereignty plan, which began with the formation of this government. After decades of international pressure and freezing of projects, we are defying conventions and cementing the connection between Ma’aleh Adumim and Jerusalem,” he said.
Standing at the site of the planned settlement on Thursday, Smotrich said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump had agreed to the revival of the E1 development.
“Those around the world who try to recognize a Palestinian state will see our response on the ground – not with documents or declarations, but with facts: homes, roads, and Jewish families building their lives here,” Smotrich said.
“They will talk about a Palestinian dream – and we will continue to build a Jewish reality,” he said. “This reality buries the idea for good – there is nothing to recognize.”