Three Israeli human-rights organizations petitioned the Jerusalem Administrative Affairs Court on Thursday against the government decision to approve the E1 plan in the West Bank, east of Jerusalem, which is seen as the final nail in the coffin that is territorial congruency of any future Palestinian state in the territory.
This is the second such petition to be filed by Ir Amim, Peace Now, and Bimkom – Planners for Planning Rights against the plan. The petitioners requested that the court issue an interim injunction to prevent the plan from taking effect until the petition is heard, and to prohibit authorities from taking any implementation steps.
The decision, passed in August, was approved by the Higher Planning Committee, a planning body made up of combined efforts from the Civil Administration and Defense Ministry.
On August 14, the Finance Ministry and Religious Zionist Party head Bezalel Smotrich announced approval for the E1 plan, which he declared as a move that “buries the idea of a Palestinian state.” The planning committee granted the formal green light for the plan six days later, on August 20.
E1 corridor plans
E1 (East 1) is an area that lies between east Jerusalem and Ma’aleh Adumim, a zone of about 12 square kilometers that borders several Palestinian towns, including Anata, Abu Dis, a-Zayim, and Azariya.
The idea to develop E1 first surfaced in the 1990s, and the master plan was eventually approved in 1999, with further sub-plans laid out over the years, like developing areas for industrial and business service centers, as well as for commerce and tourism, along with a police headquarters. Implementation, however, has been consistently delayed or frozen.
Geographically, the plan would sever east Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank, and could also potentially split it into northern and southern areas.
The petitioners noted that the plan was designed to include 3,400 new housing units. “If this is approved, it will sever the connection between east Jerusalem and the West Bank, and would effectively block territorial congruency between the northern and southern parts of the West Bank,” wrote the petitioners.
Proponents of the plan view the area as a natural urban link between Jerusalem and Ma’aleh Adumim, meaning that, without its construction, the major settlement would be disconnected and isolated from the capital.
From a security perspective, the E1 corridor is seen as strategically vital for the defense of Jerusalem, as it includes high ground overlooking the main highway from Jerusalem to the Jordan Valley.
Additionally, it is viewed as a viable solution to Jerusalem’s severe housing crisis, as it would provide more land for development and help consolidate the greater Jerusalem metropolitan area.
The petitioners argued that the execution of the plan would necessarily mean the “ethnic cleansing” of the area, forcing the Palestinians living there to transfer – though they have lived there for decades. “This is illegal under International Humanitarian Law, and is why the plan should be canceled,” they wrote.
The petition further argues that the committee’s decisions to approve the plan were made with “extreme unreasonableness” and in serious deviation from planning principles.
The petitioners claimed that authorities failed to examine genuine alternatives, did not consider the severe implications for Palestinian residents in the area, and did not assess their needs – including housing, education, healthcare, and basic infrastructure.
As a result, they argued, a built-in discrimination was created: While massive plans are being advanced for the benefit of the settlements without any planning justification or demand, the Palestinian residents of the area are completely denied any possibility for planning or development.