Israel Moving Ahead with Settlement Plans That Would Split West Bank in Two, Rights Group Says The Israeli government's announcement of a contentious settlement expansion plan in the West Bank, which would effectively divide the territory in two, has been met with little surprise from those familiar with the region's tumultuous history.
The plan, criticized for years as a threat to a future Palestinian state, is not just another iteration of Israel's long standing policy of expanding settlements – it's a deliberate attempt to create an irreversible reality on the ground.
The tender for 2,167 additional units in the E1 settlement project marks a significant escalation of Israel's efforts to fragment the West Bank and East Jerusalem.