“There will be no Palestinian state.” So declared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, upon approving a new housing development east of Jerusalem that will divide the West Bank (Judea and Samaria).

The development, known as E1, was approved by finance minister Bezalel Smotrich in August after several western countries began saying that they would recognize a Palestinian state despite the ongoing war, and despite the fact that Hamas continues to hold, and to starve, dozens of Israeli hostages.

The new community will connect Jerusalem with the settlement community of Ma’aleh Adumin, to the east.

The Jerusalem Post reported :

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich approved the new E1 settlement plan near Ma’aleh Adumim, which would split east Jerusalem from the West Bank

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