Israel approves 3,401 housing units in E1 area near Ma’ale Adumim

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced Wednesday the approval of 3,401 new housing units in the E1 area near Ma’ale Adumim in Judea and Samaria, marking a major milestone in a project stalled for decades by international opposition.

The E1 plan, covering 12 square kilometers (4.63 square miles) of mostly state land between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim, has long faced pressure from previous U.S. administrations and other foreign governments. Smotrich, who also serves as a minister in the Defense Ministry with responsibility for civilian matters in the region, framed the move as part of a broader sovereignty agenda.

“Approval of construction plans in E1 buries the idea of a Palestinian state and continues the many steps we are taking on the ground as part of the de facto sovereignty plan that we began implementing with the establishment of the government,” he said. “After decades of international pressure and freezes, we are breaking conventions and connecting Ma’ale Adumim to Jerusalem. This is Zionism at its best building, settling, and strengthening our sovereignty in the Land of Israel.”

Regavim, an Israeli NGO focused on land policy, welcomed the decision, calling it “a critical step for Jerusalem and for the State of Israel as a whole.”

The project aims to link Ma’ale Adumim home to some 40,000 residents since its founding over 40 years ago to Jerusalem’s Mount Scopus ridge. Plans include three residential neighborhoods as well as areas for commerce, industry, and hotels.

For supporters, the approval represents a long-awaited step in solidifying Israel’s hold on a strategic corridor, reinforcing both the physical and political connection between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim.

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