Israel postpones the deadline for a construction tender in the E1 area of ​​the occupied West Bank

(CNN) - The Office of the Attorney General of the Israeli government ordered the postponement of the deadline for submitting bids by a month, in a construction tender in the controversial E1 area in the occupied West Bank, according to an Israeli official who told CNN.

The tender, which includes about 1,200 housing units, was scheduled to close a week before the Israeli elections scheduled for October 27. The Attorney General directed that the deadline be extended so that it closes after the elections, citing concerns that the timing of the tender could be exploited for electoral purposes.

The E1 tenders were the focus of a decision taken by the United Kingdom, France, Canada and nine other European countries earlier this month to impose sanctions and trade restrictions on Israeli settlements. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said that these tenders represent "crossing a long-standing red line."

The E1 area is located within a settlement project condemned by international bodies, between Jerusalem and the Maale Adumim settlement. The project would divide the West Bank into two parts, making the establishment of a geographically contiguous Palestinian state in the region almost impossible.

For years, Israel postponed planning and construction plans in the area due to intense international pressure. But the right-wing government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu significantly accelerated the pace of settlement expansion in the West Bank, and approved construction plans in the E1 area in 2025.

Last month, two tenders were issued; One of them is to build about 1,200 housing units, a tender that has now been decided to be postponed. As for the other tender, it is related to the construction of more than 2,100 housing units, and it is scheduled to open for bidding two days before the election date.

The far-right ministers, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, strongly criticized the decision to postpone the submission of bids, and accused the Attorney General of interfering in the electoral process. Smotrich said the tenders follow legal and proper procedures that began long before the election period.

The mayor of Maale Adumim, Guy Ifrah, said he would appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.

In a separate context, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Sunday, revoked the diplomatic status of Dutch diplomats in Ramallah, which is the de facto headquarters of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, following the entry into force of a Dutch order banning the import and sale of settlement products last week.

Last month, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar ordered the closure of the British Consulate in East Jerusalem, in response to the sanctions, and also ordered the removal of the British and Dutch delegations from the International Gaza Support Center in Kiryat Gat.