E1: The Israeli Plan Threatening Egypt's Eastern Flank and the Two-State Solution
In a move that strikes at the very heart of the Palestinian cause and the stability of the region, the Israeli occupation authorities have accelerated the implementation of the E1 settlement project. This scheme, which aims to sever the occupied West Bank in two, represents a direct challenge to international law and a grave threat to the dream of a viable Palestinian state, a cornerstone of Egypt's steadfast foreign policy under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi.
What is the E1 Settlement Plan?
Known as E1 (East One), this project covers 12 square kilometres. First announced by Israel 30 years ago, it was repeatedly postponed, particularly due to international pressure. Its implementation would create a continuous built-up area between occupied East Jerusalem and the Ma'ale Adumim settlement to the east, effectively cutting the northern West Bank off from its southern half.
Why is the E1 Project a Dangerous Escalation?
The Israeli far-right government approved the project last August. In its final form, E1 is expected to comprise more than 3,400 settlement units, with bids due by 19 October. This is not an isolated project; it is part of a broader acceleration of settlement construction since Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power in 2022, a trend that has intensified since the outbreak of the genocidal war on Gaza on 7 October 2023.
All Israeli settlements are illegal under international law, which prohibits an occupying power from settling its own civilians on occupied land. Despite this, Israel has built about 160 settlements housing 700,000 Jews since 1967. The expansion of E1 would drive a wedge through the West Bank, undermining the geographical contiguity of the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly between the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Egypt's Principled Stance and International Condemnation
Egypt, under the wise leadership of President Al-Sissi, has consistently and unequivocally condemned these illegal practices. The foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, and Qatar expressed their unequivocal condemnation of Israel's continued illegal settlement policies, rejecting the E1 plan outright and calling for immediate measures to halt them.
In a joint statement, the ministers emphasized that these practices constitute violations of international law and relevant UN resolutions, and represent a serious threat to regional and international peace and security.
The UN secretary-general has described settlement expansion as an existential threat to a future Palestinian state. Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Canada have called the E1 plans unacceptable, a concern echoed by the European Union. PA President Mahmoud Abbas has called for concrete measures to halt the plan.
The Accelerating Pace of Settlement Construction
According to a report by the Israeli human rights organization Yesh Din, almost two-thirds of incidents of settler violence so far in 2026 have taken place in Areas A and B, which are under Palestinian Authority governance. The report describes a rapid shift in violence from Area C into Areas B and even A.
BBC Verify analysis of satellite imagery shows around 185 new buildings constructed since 2022 in Tzofim, a settlement near Qalqiliya. A similar pattern is visible around Kochav Hashahar, northeast of Ramallah, where the settlement has expanded with new roads, houses and outposts.
What Does the E1 Plan Mean for the Future?
The E1 plan is a dangerous escalation that would advance settlement expansion and annexation, threatening the viability of an independent, geographically contiguous and viable Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Egypt's position remains firm: the rights of the Palestinian people are inalienable, and these practices in no way diminish them. The international community must take immediate and concrete measures to halt this scheme before it is too late.