Beijing (TIP)- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed an “umbrella agreement” Thursday, Sept 11, officially moving forward with expansion plan that would cut across land that the Palestinians seek for a state.
“There will never be a Palestinian state. This place is ours,” Netanyahu said during a visit to the Maale Adumim settlement in the West Bank where thousands of new housing units would be added.
“We will safeguard our heritage, our land, and our security,” he added.
The office of Prime Minister Netanyahu, confirmed the signing of the deal on X, saying, “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this evening, at the signing ceremony for the roof agreement in Maale Adumim. There will be no Palestinian state! This place is ours.”
Netanyahu was joined by nationalist members of his coalition, including far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who in August said a Palestinian state “is being erased from the table, not with slogans but with actions.”
Last month, the long overdue East 1 (E1) project, that was stalled amid objections from the US and European government in 2012 and 2020, received final approval from a Defence Ministry planning commission.
Total investment in the project, which will include adding roads and upgrading major infrastructure, is estimated at nearly $1 billion.
The settlement, on a 12-square-kilometre (4.6sq-mile) tract of land east of Jerusalem, is known as “East 1” or “E1”.
The move, coming two days after Israel tried to kill Hamas leaders in Qatar and was roundly condemned, may add to already strained relations with many of its allies.
Restarting the project, which aims to bisect the West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem, could further isolate Israel, as many Western allies, including Britain and France, announced they intend to recognise the state of Palestinian at the United Nations General Assembly later this month.
Western governments and advocacy groups have opposed the settlement, expressing concerns that it could jeopardize the prospects of a future peace agreement with the Palestinians.
UN Security Council members condemn Israel over deadly strike on Qatar
The United Nations Security Council has condemned the Israeli attack on the Qatari capital Doha on Tuesday and called for de-escalation in a statement agreed by all 15 members, including Israel’s chief ally, the United States.
Council members issued the statement ahead of the emergency meeting on Thursday, which was convened to discuss Israel’s attacks targeting Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital, as it ramped up its offensive in Gaza City, forcing more than 200,000 to flee. Five Hamas members were killed, but the Palestinian group said its leadership survived the assassination bid. A Qatari security force member was also killed in the unprecedented attack, which has sent tensions in the region skyrocketing.
Hamas leaders were meeting to discuss a new deal proposed by US President Donald Trump when the attack happened.
“Council members underscored the importance of de-escalation and expressed their solidarity with Qatar,” said the statement, drafted by France and the United Kingdom, which nonetheless stopped short of explicitly mentioning Israel.
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