US lawmakers seek sanctions over Israel's E1 West Bank settlement plan

A group of US lawmakers is seeking sanctions in response to Israel's E1 settlement plan in the West Bank, according to Al Jazeera.

The E1 project, which would build a new Israeli settlement between Jerusalem and the existing settlement of Maale Adumim, has been widely criticized by international observers because it would effectively split the northern and southern parts of the West Bank, cutting off Palestinian territorial contiguity.

Al Jazeera's report said the plan has prompted widespread international condemnation, with critics arguing it would undermine the possibility of a viable, geographically contiguous Palestinian state.

The push for sanctions from US lawmakers reflects growing scrutiny in Washington over Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, an issue that has repeatedly strained relations between the US Congress and the Israeli government.

Al Jazeera's report did not specify the exact nature of the proposed sanctions or which lawmakers are leading the effort.