In a landmark announcement, Israeli ministers and local leaders unveiled approval for thousands of new housing units in the strategic E1 corridor and Maaleh Adumim’s “Desert Bird” neighborhood, declaring it a decisive blow to Palestinian statehood ambitions.
In a historic press conference Thursday morning, Finance Minister & Minister in the Defense Ministry Bezalel Smotrich, Yesha Council head Israel Ganz, and Maaleh Adumim Mayor Guy Yifrah announced the official green light for the E1 development plan and the expansion of the “Desert Bird” (Tzipor Midbar) neighborhood.
The approval covers 3,401 new housing units in the E1 corridor and 3,515 units in Desert Bird, paving the way for an estimated 35,000 new residents and cementing territorial continuity between Maaleh Adumim and Jerusalem.
Mayor Yifrah marked the moment by reciting the Shehecheyanu blessing, calling it “historic for the city.”
Smotrich: ‘Facts on the Ground Will Speak Louder Than Declarations’
In a fiery speech, Smotrich warned that any international push to recognize a Palestinian state would be met with concrete action, not diplomatic words:
“Anyone in the world today who tries to recognize a Palestinian state will receive our answer on the ground… homes, neighborhoods, roads, and Jewish families building their lives. They will speak of a Palestinian dream — and we will continue building a Jewish reality.”
He urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to apply full Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria and eliminate once and for all the concept of dividing the Land of Israel:
“By September, the hypocritical leaders of Europe will have nothing to recognize.”
Strategic Significance & Global Opposition
The E1 area has long been considered strategically vital for Israel, ensuring an unbroken link from Jerusalem eastward. Supporters say the expansion will strengthen security and settlement presence, while critics — including the Palestinian Authority and much of the international community — claim it is a major obstacle to a Palestinian capital in eastern Jerusalem.
Despite international pushback, Israeli leaders insist the project represents irreversible facts on the ground — a direct challenge to any future Palestinian statehood initiative.
