Gaza: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has condemned Israel's decision to issue tenders for the construction of settlement units as part of the E1 project in the occupied West Bank, warning international companies against participating in the project.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, Anwar expressed strong condemnation in a post on X, criticizing Israel's decision to proceed with the E1 settlement project. He highlighted the strategic significance of the area east of Jerusalem, emphasizing its importance to the viability of a future Palestinian state.
Anwar warned that construction in E1 would fragment the occupied West Bank, posing a serious threat to the establishment of a geographically contiguous Palestinian state. Israeli rights groups have reported that Israel issued a tender for 1,234 settlement units within the E1 project without notifying petitioners challenging the project, despite a prior commitment to keep them informed of new developments.
The E1 project aims to connect the settlement of Ma'ale Adumim with occupied East Jerusalem by constructing Israeli facilities on Palestinian land. The larger project encompasses around 3,400 settlement units. Anwar reiterated that Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are illegal under international law and criticized Israel for continuing its settlement activities without facing accountability.