Israeli groups, Palestinians challenge controversial East Jerusalem settlement plan

Palestinian residents and three Israeli rights groups have filed an urgent petition with an Israeli court seeking to freeze a tender for the construction of 1,234 illegal settlement units under the controversial E1 plan in occupied East Jerusalem.

The petition was filed Thursday with the Jerusalem District Court by rights groups Ir Amim, Bimkom and Peace Now, together with Palestinian community members, according to a statement issued by Ir Amim.

Petitioners asked the court to issue an interim order suspending the first tender under the E1 plan -- which was published this week – for the construction of 1,234 housing units east of Jerusalem.

They also requested the court to halt publication of additional tenders, or any other steps toward the plan’s implementation, until a court ruling is issued on their petition.

The tender has drawn international criticism, including calls for the Israeli government to withdraw it.

Nevertheless, no date has yet been set for the court to hear the petition.

Covering more than 2,960 acres of land, the E1 plan is one of the largest illegal settlement projects in the occupied Palestinian territories.

It is intended to link the illegal Maale Adumim settlement, located east of Jerusalem, with West Jerusalem by building thousands of new settlement units and hotels.

Critics say that the settlement plan will divide the occupied West Bank and further cut East Jerusalem off from its Palestinian surroundings.

The EU has repeatedly stated that implementation of the E1 plan will undermine prospects for a two-state solution and the emergence of a viable Palestinian state.