Israel is preparing to start construction next month on a bypass road through the heart of the occupied West Bank, a move critics say will further fragment Palestinian territory and entrench the de facto annexation of an area vital to the viability of a future Palestinian state. The bypass is part of a broader blueprint for a large Israeli settlement in the E1 area, east of Jerusalem, and has drawn international condemnation for undermining the prospects of a two-state solution.
The road, intended as a sealed transit corridor for Palestinian vehicles, is designed to enable Israel to restrict Palestinians from existing roads in the area, while Israeli vehicles will have unrestricted access. The project has been nicknamed the “sovereignty road”, a title reflecting its role as an instrument of annexation. Initial approval for construction came in 2020 under former defence minister Naftali Bennett, who celebrated the bypass as a step toward applying sovereignty “in deeds, not words”. Today, with new defence minister Israel Katz at the helm, the project is poised to advance alongside plans to expand settlements and consolidate Israel’s hold on the West Bank.
Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s finance minister, made the purpose of the project explicit, stating that the plans were intended to “bury the idea of a Palestinian state”. Experts on settlement policy describe the road as an instrument of ethnic cleansing, designed to isolate remaining Palestinian communities in the area and ultimately push residents out. Hagit Ofran of Peace Now, an Israeli advocacy group, said, “They want the land; they don’t want the people”.
The E1 area occupies roughly 3% of the West Bank, forming a triangular stretch of land between Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Ramallah. The region is considered critical to Palestinian connectivity, as it links the northern and southern West Bank. If the settlement is built and Palestinians are restricted to the bypass, the road will effectively sever these connections, isolating East Jerusalem and complicating travel for Palestinians throughout the region.
Several Palestinian communities are set to be directly affected by the construction. Houses in As Saraiya are slated for demolition to make way for the route, while towns including Elazariya, Abu Dis, and Sawahra will become isolated within an Israeli settlement bloc. “They can theoretically allow residents’ cars permits for the area, but you cannot sustain a community life if you are trapped in an enclave of Israelis”, Ofran explained. “What is likely to happen is that these communities will be disconnected from their surroundings and either immediately evicted or gradually pushed out”.
Construction of the bypass is closely tied to Israel’s broader expansion in the E1 area, where plans are underway to build more than 3,000 new homes adjacent to the existing settlement of Ma’ale Adumim. Currently, Palestinians traveling from E1 into Jerusalem must pass through a checkpoint. Once the bypass is completed and Palestinians are barred from the area, checkpoints will be removed for Israeli traffic, creating unbroken access to Jerusalem while restricting Palestinian movement. Ofran emphasized that the road is a vital part of making the settlement attractive and functional for Israeli residents, as it allows uninterrupted travel and integration with the rest of Israeli infrastructure.
Legal challenges have already been filed by Palestinians and advocacy groups seeking to halt the bypass, but the Israeli government has continued to advance the project. Notices to affected residents have been issued, giving them 45 days to file objections. Meanwhile, the E1 development has drawn widespread international criticism. When Israel gave formal planning approval last year, over 20 countries, including the UK, France, Canada, and Australia, condemned the project as a violation of international law, warning that it risked escalating regional tensions and undermining the two-state solution. The United Nations’ International Court of Justice issued a sweeping advisory opinion in 2024 declaring Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories illegal and calling for its rapid end, including full reparations. Despite this, settlement expansion continues apace, with little political opposition domestically. The E1 project is emblematic of a broader strategy by the Israeli government to solidify control over key areas of the West Bank and weaken the territorial coherence of a prospective Palestinian state.
Critics argue that the bypass exemplifies a systematic policy of segregation, with separate transport systems for Israelis and Palestinians – a practice often described as an apartheid-style arrangement. Beyond physical separation, the project signals a broader intention to assert Israeli sovereignty over contested areas, with profound implications for the social, economic, and political life of Palestinians.
“The E1 bypass is more than a road”, Ofran said. “It is part of a larger plan to make life impossible for Palestinians in these communities. Restricting access and isolating towns will likely lead to displacement, which is exactly what the settlement expansion aims to achieve”.
While construction is scheduled to begin imminently, the E1 project continues to face international scrutiny. Human rights groups, Palestinian authorities, and foreign governments have called for Israel to halt expansion and respect international law. They warn that continued settlement activity risks igniting further violence and eroding the already fragile prospects for peace in the region.
Despite opposition, the Israeli government remains committed to the project. Officials argue that the road will improve traffic and connectivity for Israeli settlers, while consolidating security arrangements in the West Bank. But for Palestinians, the bypass represents another step in a decades-long pattern of encroachment, severing communities and undermining their future statehood.
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