The Allon Plan for E1 – From Zionist History to 2026
The Allon Plan for E1: From the 1990s Vision to Actual Realization
The Allon Plan for E1 has accompanied public and planning discourse around Jerusalem for more than three decades. It is a direct continuation of the settlement approach shaped by former Labor Minister Israel Galili and others, inspired by the original "Allon Plan" of the 1960s, which advocated creating a settlement-security continuity around Jerusalem and along the Jordan Valley. The E1 area, spanning roughly 12 sq km between Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim, was intended from the outset to be the link connecting the capital to the city of Ma'ale Adumim – and to bring this vision into actual realization.
The 1990s: The Idea Takes Planning Form
Already in the early 1990s, the first plans for construction in the E1 area were formulated, based on the conception that urban continuity between Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim would secure the capital's status as a whole, unified city, and prevent a geographic split of the area between it and its eastern satellite city. However, over the years, repeated international pressures led to significant delays in implementing the plan. Projects that had already matured to the tender stage were frozen again and again, and for many years the plan remained largely on paper.
Decades of Waiting
Between the 1990s and the second decade of the 2000s, the E1 plan went through many planning iterations, but in practice hardly advanced toward actual construction. Ma'ale Adumim continued to grow as an independent city, but the physical gap between it and Jerusalem remained open – and with it, the potential embedded in the area also remained open.
2025: The Practical Turning Point
The significant change came in August 2025, when the Supreme Planning Council approved the plan for 3,401 housing units in the first stage of E1. A month later, in September 2025, a government umbrella agreement worth approximately ₪3 billion was signed, including the expansion of Route 437, an additional transportation route to Jerusalem through the Ma'ale HaAdumim ridge area, and new access roads. These were no longer mere declarations of intent – they were binding budgetary and planning decisions.
| Period | Key Event |
|---|---|
| 1960s-1990s | Formulation of the continuous settlement conception around Jerusalem (Allon Plan) |
| 1990s onward | Initial plans for E1, repeated delays due to international pressure |
| August 2025 | Supreme Planning Council approval for 3,401 units |
| September 2025 | Umbrella agreement worth ₪3 billion |
| January 2026 | First construction tender (460/2025) |
| 8/18/2026 | Additional tender for 1,234 units in the southern section – first execution step after 3 decades |
Why 8/18/2026 Is a Date That Will Be Recorded in the Area's History
The publication of the tender for 1,234 housing units in the southern section of E1, on August 18, 2026, is the moment the plan finally moved from declaration to action. After more than three decades in which the Zionist-settlement vision of Jerusalem-Ma'ale Adumim continuity remained pending, this is the first time a construction tender of this scale has been published for the southern part of the area. It is a moment that illustrates how a historic vision, first formulated back in the days of the Allon Plan, is finally receiving tangible expression on the ground.
The Broader Settlement Context
Historically, E1 illustrates a central principle in the settlement conception around Jerusalem: creating a geographic-urban continuity connecting the capital to its surrounding satellite towns, foremost among them Ma'ale Adumim. Together with the neighboring Tzipor Midbar neighborhood, comprising approximately 3,500 housing units, the area is expected to grow by roughly 7,000 new housing units, establishing Ma'ale Adumim as an integral part of "Greater Jerusalem." Anyone interested in the real-estate-economic aspect of this move can review the Ma'ale Adumim area page and the full property listing under apartments for sale in Ma'ale Adumim.
Continue Reading – Everything You Need to Know
For a full understanding of the historical timeline, we recommend reading From 1994 to 2026: The History of the Territorial Continuity. For the broader regional-planning aspect, see Greater Jerusalem – The Ring of Neighborhoods Around the Capital, and for details of the historic tender itself, read The 2026 Tender – The Historic Step Toward Construction in E1.
Interested in Being Part of the Realized Vision?
Merkaz HaNechasim Ma'ale Adumim guides families and investors who want to take part in the area's current historic chapter. Visit the full E1 project page and contact us for personal, free consultation.