Urgent - new Netanyahu move to upend a Palestinian state

*E1 Tender Published and Open for Bidding*

On August 18, 2026, the Ministry of Housing published and opened for bidding a new tender (186/2026 – https://apps.land.gov.il/MichrazimSite/#/michraz/20260186) for 1,234 housing units in E1, east of East Jerusalem. The bidding period closes on October 19, 2026, one week before the Israeli elections on October 27.

The 1,234 units are part of the 3,401 housing units planned for E1. For decades, Israeli governments have refrained from building in E1 due to concerns about its impact on the prospects for a two-state peace agreement.

This action is a political decision taken while the plan is still subject to an active legal challenge.

*Peace Now*: "This is a last-minute maneuver that is part of the scorched-earth policy the government is pursuing at the end of its term to secure long years of conflict and bloodshed for Israel. Building in E1 will ruin the possibility of reaching an end to the conflict and a peace arrangement based on two states. The government is trying to sign contracts with contractors before the elections so that it will be much harder for the next government to cancel the construction."

In January, the government published a tender for all 3,401 housing units but postponed the bid opening date several times.

Ir Amim, Bimkom, and Peace Now, together with Bedouin-Palestinian residents, filed a petition against the plan (No. 4388-10-25) in the Jerusalem District Court. Attorney Michael Sfard represents the petitioners.

As part of the proceedings, the State committed not to open the tender for bidding without giving the petitioners advance notice, so they could seek an interim injunction halting the tender pending a decision on the petition.

On June 15, 2026, the Court rejected the State's motion to dismiss the petition and ordered it to file a detailed response by September 1, 2026.

About a month ago, the State Attorney's Office informed the petitioners that the tender was expected to open within two or three months and reiterated its commitment to provide advance notice before doing so.

However, today a new and separate tender for 1,234 of the planned 3,401 housing units was published and opened for bidding. Petitioners were not given advance notice and learned of the tender via the Israel Land Authority website.

The new tender accounts for about one third of the housing units approved for E1. Its closing date of October 19 is one week before the Israeli elections.

Even partial implementation would create irreversible facts on the ground, fundamentally altering the geographic and strategic character of the area by severing the northern West Bank from the south and isolating East Jerusalem.

*See more about the E1 plan here*: https://peacenow.org.il/en/e1-employment-tender

*Join Peace Now's Settlement Watch updates group*: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Bu2U0VwnIwQD7G7Vu1Y1Mp