The Israeli government has granted final approval to the controversial E1 settlement project in the occupied West Bank, a move that is expected to divide the territory into two parts and jeopardize the prospects for a contiguous future Palestinian state. The plan includes the construction of approximately 3,400 settlement homes near Jerusalem and has drawn condemnation from Palestinian groups and human rights organizations, who warn it could destroy hopes for Palestinian statehood. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a hard-line figure, declared that the idea of a Palestinian state is being erased from the table following the approval. For over two decades, U.S. pressure had blocked the project, but it was advanced under the administration of former President Donald Trump. The approval also threatens to displace around twenty Bedouin communities in the West Bank area, including those at Jabal Al Baba. The E1 settlement plan has sparked international outrage due to its geopolitical implications and potential to undermine peace efforts in the region.