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August 8, 2025
- Israeli Planning Committee Convened on E-1 Settlement Plan, Decision Pending
- Israel Advances Plans to Expand Four Settlements in East Jerusalem: Gilo, Har Homa, East Talpiot, and Ramot
- New Outpost Near Bethlehem Tightens Settler Grip on Kisan
- In Highly Symbolic Trip, U.S. Speaker Johnson Visits the Ariel Settlement
- Bonus Reads
Israeli Planning Committee Convened on E-1 Settlement Plan, Decision Pending
On August 6th the High Planning Council convened for a final hearing on public objections submitted against the E-1 settlement plan. In an unusual delay, the Committee meeting ended without issuing its decision and as of publication the decision is still pending. The decision to reject the objections to the E-1 plan and advance it towards final approval could be issued by the Committee any day.
The hearing itself seemed to indicate the Committee’s strong support for the plan and intention to advance it to the final stage of approval. The hearing was scheduled on very short notice, so much so that none of the objectors were able to attend. Peace Now relayed that the committee meeting began with an argument between the committee members and a lawyer representing the Palestinian community of Al-Ezaria which stands to be displaced by E-1 construction. The lawyer asked the committee to be allowed to make preliminary arguments, which the Chair of the Committee rejected and proceeded to have a discussion on the plan.
The E-1 settlement has, for decades, been viewed as a “dooms-day” settlement and treated as a red-line for countries pushing diplomatic efforts towards a two state solution. E-1 is also vehemently opposed by Palestinians and human rights activists because of the impact it will have on thousands of bedouin, including Khan Al-Ahmar, who live in the area slated for the settlements’ construction, just east of Jerusalem. Construction of this settlement would have severe geopolitical implications (cutting the West Bank in half, cutting it off from East Jerusalem); would necessitate the forcible transfer of several bedouin communities (a war crime); and affect thousands of Palestinians (shredding the fabric of life).
There have been attempts to promote the E-1 plan since the early 1990s, but due to wall-to-wall international opposition, the plan was not advanced until 2012. At that time Netaynuahu ordered it to be approved for deposit for public review (a key step in the approval process), ostensibly as payback for the Palestinians seeking recognition at the United Nations. Following an outcry from the international community, the plan again went into a sort of dormancy, only to be put back on the agenda by Netanyahu in February 2020. Though plans for construction have been repeatedly delayed, in the interim Israel has taken decisive steps to prepare for the construction of E-1, including building the “Sovereignty Road” in 2023, and then In March 2024, Israel seized the land – by declaring it “state land” – designated for the construction of E-1.
Israel Advances Plans to Expand Four Settlements in East Jerusalem: Gilo, Har Homa, East Talpiot, and Ramot
Ir Amim reports that the Jerusalem District Planning Committee was scheduled to meet on August 4th to advance plans to expand three settlements in East Jerusalem, which if all approved would see 3,976 new settlement units built.
The plans considered for advancement are:
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- Gilo South – 1,900 new units that will expand the Gilo settlement south towards Beit Jala/Bethlehem, to be built on land that includes ancient olive groves owned and tended to by residents of Beit Jala.
- Har Homa East – 660 new settlement units that will expand the settlement to the south and east, further encroaching on two Palestinian communities – Beit Sahour/Nu’man and Um Tuba – where residents are facing the threat of mass displacement at the hands of the Israeli government and settlers.
- East Talpiyot – 700 new units that will expand the settlement south further threatening to permanently divide the Palestinian neighborhoods of Sur Baher and Jabal Mukabber.
- Ramot – 900 new units that will expand the settlement north right up to the Separation Wall.
While Israeli authorities look to advance these plans for the benefit of settlers, authorities are also advancing plans for the mass displacement of Palestinians from East Jerusalem. Including most receipts plans to demolish a 5-story building in the A-Sawana neighborhood which will displace 17 families. In an all too common occurrence, the building was constructed without Israeli permits (which are systematically denied to Palestinians), and so Israel issued a demolition order against the building soon after it was built. The order has not been enforced for 22 years, but is now being pursued by and Israeli agency under the full control of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
New Outpost Near Bethlehem Tightens Settler Grip on Kisan
Middle East Eye reports settlers have established a new outpost east of Bethlehem near the Palestinian village of Kisan. Kisan has struggled against settler encroachment for decades, and OCHA reports that 65% of the village’s land has already been seized by Israel for the construction of settlements including Ma’ale Amos and Mizpe Shalem.
The village is almost completely surrounded by Israeli settlements and at least eight outposts, and has been the target of routine, sustained, and violent harassment by settlers. Over the past month, 23 families (128 people) from the areas surrounding Kisan were forcibly displaced by repeated violence attacks by settlers.
In Highly Symbolic Trip, U.S. Speaker Johnson Visits the Ariel Settlement
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R, LA-4) arrived in Israel this week and included a stop in the Ariel settlement on his itinerary, making him the highest ranking elected official to visit a settlement (though U.S. Ambassador David Friedman and former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have previously done so).
Speaker Johnson was escorted on his trip to Ariel by Marc Zell, chairman of the Republicans Overseas Israel chapter, who gleefully celebrated Johnson’s visit and the support Johnson offered to Israel’s annexation of the West Bank. According to Zell, Johnson said that “the mountains of Judea and Samaria are the rightful property of the Jewish People.”
Israel Hayom reports that the settler Yesha Council was key to arranging Johnson’s visit to Ariel, and sees it as “a step towards legitimizing Israeli settlement.” Axios reports that the evangelical group “U.S. Israel Education Association” (USIEA) was the main organizer of Johnson’s stay in Israel. USIEA is run by American evangelical mega-church pastors Heather Johnston, and the organization is a pro-Israel, pro-settlement, non-profit group which works with the Family Research Council to lead Congressional delegations to Israel. USEIA has previously signed contracts with the Israeli government to bring thousands Israeli high schoolers to the Ariel settlement to help Jewish Israeli students who are “disconnected from the roots of their faith” to establish “a deeper connection to God by embracing their biblical and cultural heritage.” The website also says that Ariel is “at the forefront of biblical prophecy unfolding in modern Israel.”
Drop Site News reports that Speaker Johnson’s trip to the Ariel settlement connects to a long-running evangelical Christian apocalyptic movement calling for the construction of the Third Temple in order to usher in the end of times (as believed by dispensationalist Christians).
Johnson was joined on his trip to Israel by Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee-Sanders (who is the daughter of the current U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee), Reps. Moran, McCaul, Tenney, and Cloud. Rep. Claudia Tenney serves as the chair of the Friends of Judea and Samaria Caucus in the U.S. Congress, and champions legislation to acknowledge Israel sovereignty over the West Bank. The trip is being labelled a private trip, and not an official one.
At the CUFI conference In March 2024 Johnson stated: “The United States must show unwavering strength and support for Israel.” He continued, “God is going to bless the nation that blesses Israel. We understand that that’s our role. It’s also our biblical admonition. This is something that’s an article of faith for us.”
Bonus Reads
- “Israeli Settlers Torch Palestinian Farmhouse, Tag Walls With ‘Revenge’ and ‘Price Tag‘” (Haaretz, 8/4/25)
- “Court Clears Settler of Assaulting Bedouin Women and a Toddler in the West Bank” (Haaretz, 8/5/25)
- “Thousands of Israelis Marched to Gaza – Not to Free It, but Rather to Call for Renewed Jewish Settlement” (Haaretz, 8/4/25)