Israel approves settlement plan to 'erase' idea of Palestinian state

Settlement development in E1 has been under consideration for more than two decades – but was frozen due to US pressure during previous administrations

Bezalel Smotrich holds a map that shows the E1 settlement project. Picture: Ohad Zwigenberg/AP

A widely condemned Israeli settlement plan that would cut across land which the Palestinians seek for a state received final approval on Wednesday, according to a statement from Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

The approval of the E1 project, which would bisect the occupied West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem, was announced last week by Mr Smotrich and received final go-ahead from a defence ministry planning commission on Wednesday, he said.