Israel opens bidding for E1 settlement units, deepening West Bank annexation push

Israel's right-wing government has initiated bidding for thousands of housing units in the E1 area of the West Bank, a long-contested zone that would sever Palestinian territorial contiguity and undermine a two-state solution. The move, while not a formal annexation, signals accelerated settlement expansion and a hardening of policy, drawing likely international condemnation. The impact hinges on whether construction proceeds and on Palestinian and international responses.