Israel's Attorney General Halts Major E1 Housing Tender Amid Election Concerns

The Attorney General of Israel, Gali Baharav-Miara, has postponed by one month the deadline for submitting bids in a significant tender for the construction of 1,234 housing units in the E1 area, located between Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim. This decision effectively pushes the next stage of the tender process past the upcoming elections.

In her legal opinion, Baharav-Miara cited the "unique public, political, and international sensitivity" surrounding the E1 project. She argued that given the proximity of the bid submission and winner selection dates to the elections, the principles of restraint and caution typically applied during election periods should govern the tender.

The municipality of Ma'ale Adumim, however, opposes the decision. Mayor Guy Yifrah stated that the tender's advancement is not a new political decision made on the eve of elections, as political approval was granted months prior, and the process had since proceeded through professional channels at the Israel Land Authority and the Ministry of Construction and Housing.

Yifrah declared the municipality would appeal the decision, calling the attempt to halt a long-promoted tender "crossing a red line." He vowed to fight legally to ensure construction proceeds in E1. The E1 area is slated for thousands of housing units, with this tender being part of a broader development plan. Earlier this month, the Jerusalem District Court rejected a request to freeze the tender, while appeals against the overall plans are still pending.