Tel Aviv (Israel), 20 August (LaPresse/AP) – Israel has given final approval to a controversial settlement project in the West Bank that would effectively divide the territory in two and, according to Palestinians and human rights organisations, could destroy plans for a future Palestinian state. The development of the settlement in the area known as E1, an open area east of Jerusalem, has been under discussion for over 20 years but was frozen due to pressure from the United States during previous administrations. On Wednesday, the project received final approval from the Planning and Building Committee after the latest petitions against it were rejected on 6 August. If the process proceeds quickly, infrastructure work could begin in the coming months and construction of the homes could start in about a year. The plan includes about 3,500 apartments to expand the Maale Adumim settlement, Finance Minister and far-right lawmaker Bezalel Smotrich said at a press conference there on Thursday. Smotrich presented the approval as a response to Western countries that have announced plans in recent weeks to recognise a Palestinian state.