Pakistan Rejects Israel’s E1 Plan to Fragment Palestinian Territory

Pakistan’s longstanding position on Palestine remains firmly rooted in international law, relevant United Nations resolutions and the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. Islamabad continues to support the establishment of an independent, sovereign and contiguous State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Against this backdrop, Israel’s proposed E1 settlement expansion represents a significant challenge to the territorial foundations of Palestinian statehood, raising renewed concerns about the future of the two-state solution and the international community’s ability to prevent unilateral changes to occupied territory.

The E1 settlement project is not simply a question of constructing additional housing. Its geographical location gives it considerable strategic significance in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Situated between occupied East Jerusalem and the Ma’ale Adumim settlement bloc, the approximately 12-square-kilometre area lies at a critical point connecting different parts of the occupied West Bank. Expansion in this area could further restrict Palestinian territorial connectivity, isolate East Jerusalem from surrounding Palestinian communities and complicate the establishment of a viable, contiguous Palestinian state.

According to the figures cited in recent reporting, the plan involves approximately 3,400 housing units. Israel’s reported tendering process included 1,234 units in August 2026 and a further 2,167 in September. These developments have intensified international concerns that settlement expansion could create lasting changes on the ground before a negotiated political settlement is reached.

The broader implications extend beyond housing and construction. A geographically fragmented Palestinian territory would face additional challenges in establishing coherent administrative institutions, developing transport infrastructure and maintaining economic connections between communities. Territorial continuity is an important component of a functioning state because it affects the movement of people, the delivery of public services and the ability of institutions to exercise authority across their territory.

For Pakistan, the E1 plan therefore raises fundamental questions about Palestinian self-determination. Islamabad has consistently maintained that the future of Palestine cannot be determined through unilateral measures that alter the geographical and demographic character of the occupied territory. The Palestinian people’s right to statehood, in Pakistan’s position, must be realised through a credible political process grounded in international law rather than undermined by the creation of irreversible facts on the ground.

International law provides an important framework for assessing these developments. United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, adopted in December 2016, reaffirmed that Israeli settlements in territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, have no legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation under international law. The resolution also called for the cessation of settlement activities and urged states to distinguish between the territory of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967.

The E1 project has consequently become part of a wider international debate about the future of the West Bank and the viability of the two-state solution. United Nations officials have warned that settlement expansion threatens the geographical contiguity of a future Palestinian state. These concerns are particularly significant given the continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, displacement in parts of the West Bank, settler violence and measures affecting Palestinian access to land and essential services.

The cumulative effect of these developments must be considered alongside the situation in Gaza. A sustainable political settlement requires Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, to form an integral part of Palestinian territory. Any arrangement that separates Gaza from the wider Palestinian political and geographical framework would raise further questions about the feasibility of an independent Palestinian state.

Pakistan has also emphasised that support for peace initiatives must be accompanied by effective implementation and a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination. International mechanisms, including proposals associated with the Gaza Peace Plan and the Board of Peace, can contribute to reconstruction, governance and the protection of civilians. However, such arrangements must reinforce Palestinian political agency and territorial integrity rather than substitute for the Palestinian people’s right to determine their future.

Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement on the E1 issue has reflected its broader effort to build international opposition to settlement expansion. On 21 August 2026, Pakistan joined Egypt, Türkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in rejecting the E1 settlement plan and related settlement activities east of occupied East Jerusalem. The countries warned that the project threatened the geographical contiguity of the occupied Palestinian territory and the realisation of an independent Palestinian state.

Their joint position underscored the importance of coordinated diplomatic action. Statements of condemnation can communicate international opposition, but preventing further settlement expansion may require sustained diplomatic pressure, consistent implementation of international obligations and practical measures aimed at discouraging policies that undermine the two-state solution.

Wider international developments have also demonstrated growing disagreement with Israeli settlement policies. During Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the United Nations General Assembly, numerous delegations walked out, highlighting opposition among participating governments to aspects of Israel’s conduct. Separately, European and other governments have considered or announced measures concerning trade in goods originating from Israeli settlements, reflecting efforts to connect economic policy with the preservation of a negotiated two-state settlement. The precise scope and implementation of such measures vary by country.

For the international community, the challenge is to translate diplomatic declarations into actions that protect Palestinian civilians, preserve territorial integrity and prevent unilateral changes from prejudicing final-status negotiations. Any effective response must remain consistent with international law and apply established legal principles without selectivity.

The E1 settlement plan ultimately places the territorial dimension of Palestinian statehood at the centre of the international debate. Borders, geographical continuity and access to East Jerusalem are not peripheral issues; they are closely connected to whether an independent Palestinian state can function politically, economically and administratively.

Pakistan’s position remains that Palestinian territory cannot be progressively fragmented, Gaza cannot be detached from the wider Palestinian national framework, and the right to self-determination cannot be displaced by unilateral measures on the ground. Islamabad therefore supports effective international efforts to halt settlement expansion, protect Palestinian civilians and preserve the conditions necessary for a negotiated political settlement.

The future of the two-state solution will depend not only on diplomatic commitments but also on whether those commitments can prevent further deterioration on the ground. Preserving the possibility of an independent, sovereign and contiguous State of Palestine on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, requires sustained international engagement, respect for international law and a credible political process that places Palestinian self-determination at its centre.