US Senate Democrats Introduce Bill Targeting E1 West Bank Settlements
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The U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. File photo. |
WASHINGTON — September 23, 2026
A group of Democratic US senators has introduced legislation that would impose sanctions on companies, individuals and other entities involved in Israel’s E1 settlement project in the occupied West Bank. The measure targets those involved in constructing settlements or helping transfer Israeli civilians into the E1 area.
The bill was introduced by Senators Chris Coons, Elizabeth Warren, Ron Wyden and Ruben Gallego. It has at least 10 additional Democratic co-sponsors, according to the legislation and congressional statements.
Under the proposed legislation, the US Treasury Department could sanction foreign companies, individuals and other entities determined to have been responsible for or involved in constructing Israeli settlements or related structures in E1. The measure would also cover entities that submit bids for construction tenders in the area.
The bill would further target people or organizations that organize, direct, finance or facilitate the movement of Israeli civilians into settlements in E1. It represents a congressional effort to use US sanctions policy in response to Israel's settlement expansion in the West Bank.
The E1 area lies between East Jerusalem and the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim. Israeli authorities have advanced plans for thousands of housing units there. Israeli rights groups and other organizations have warned that construction could divide the West Bank and make territorial continuity for a future Palestinian state more difficult.
Israel approved the E1 project in 2025 under Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Israeli officials have defended settlement construction by pointing to Israel's historical and biblical ties to the territory and security considerations.
The proposed US legislation reflects growing disagreement between Democratic lawmakers and the Israeli government over settlement policy and the war in Gaza. Some Democratic lawmakers, along with a smaller number of Republicans, have also called for restrictions on US military assistance to Israel.
Coons said the United States should oppose violence by Israeli settlers and support the security and self-determination of both Israelis and Palestinians. His statement reflects the sponsors' stated position on the legislation rather than a US government policy.
The proposal comes as Israel's settlement policy faces renewed international scrutiny. The United Nations and most countries consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank inconsistent with international law, while Israel disputes that interpretation.
The bill is unlikely to advance through the full Congress before the November 3 midterm elections. The House of Representatives is currently not in session, meaning that even Senate passage would not lead to House consideration before the election under the current schedule.
The measure therefore remains a proposal rather than an enacted sanctions program. Its introduction adds another point of tension between parts of the US Congress and Israel over the future of settlements and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
