15 aug 2016
The planned settlement of Givat Eitam (referred to as “E2”)
The Palestinian Authority’s Prime Minister, Rami Hamdallah, on Monday, condemned an Israeli plan to appropriate Palestinian land in order to establish a new settlement in the West Bank.
“Israel’s move to build a new illegal settlement and bypass road next to Bethlehem is another step into cutting the West Bank in two, and annexing Area C,” Hamdallah said, according to the PNN. “Israeli authorities are doing their best to destroy the historic character of Bethlehem,” he added.
Israel is looking to grab Palestinian land next to the illegal settlement of Efrat in order to build a settler-only road, connecting Efrat to a planned new settlement called Givat Eitam. The new settlement will be located east of the separation wall and will house 2,500 units, according to a blueprint by the Israeli Ministry of Construction and Housing.
The construction of the planned settlement would all but complete the encirclement of Bethlehem, rendering any development of the city impossible. Currently, Bethlehem is surrounded by settlements and bypass roads on three sides.
“The building of the settlement and the settler-only road would practically cut Bethlehem off the Southern West Bank,” said Jamal Dajani, Director of Strategic Communications & Media at the Prime Minister’s Office. “The international community has an obligation to stop Israel’s illegal and ongoing land theft, before there is nothing left of Palestine.”
Israeli settlements control more than 42 percent of the land in the West Bank through “regional councils,” including land reserves, agricultural and industrial facilities, settler-only roads, and other infrastructure.
In 2009, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu committed to not building any new settlements after harsh criticism from the international community.
However, this promise has not stopped his government from continuously appropriating private Palestinian land and approving plans for new settlements.
The Palestinian Authority’s Prime Minister, Rami Hamdallah, on Monday, condemned an Israeli plan to appropriate Palestinian land in order to establish a new settlement in the West Bank.
“Israel’s move to build a new illegal settlement and bypass road next to Bethlehem is another step into cutting the West Bank in two, and annexing Area C,” Hamdallah said, according to the PNN. “Israeli authorities are doing their best to destroy the historic character of Bethlehem,” he added.
Israel is looking to grab Palestinian land next to the illegal settlement of Efrat in order to build a settler-only road, connecting Efrat to a planned new settlement called Givat Eitam. The new settlement will be located east of the separation wall and will house 2,500 units, according to a blueprint by the Israeli Ministry of Construction and Housing.
The construction of the planned settlement would all but complete the encirclement of Bethlehem, rendering any development of the city impossible. Currently, Bethlehem is surrounded by settlements and bypass roads on three sides.
“The building of the settlement and the settler-only road would practically cut Bethlehem off the Southern West Bank,” said Jamal Dajani, Director of Strategic Communications & Media at the Prime Minister’s Office. “The international community has an obligation to stop Israel’s illegal and ongoing land theft, before there is nothing left of Palestine.”
Israeli settlements control more than 42 percent of the land in the West Bank through “regional councils,” including land reserves, agricultural and industrial facilities, settler-only roads, and other infrastructure.
In 2009, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu committed to not building any new settlements after harsh criticism from the international community.
However, this promise has not stopped his government from continuously appropriating private Palestinian land and approving plans for new settlements.
Reports have recently been released by Israeli news outlets on underway preparations to build the alleged temple mount on the ruins of the al-Aqsa Mosque, in Occupied Jerusalem, pending a formal political decision.
The reports came at a time when Israelis have celebrated the so-called destruction of the temple ceremony.
Participants in the underway preparations claimed that the transfer of the needed equipment to the al-Aqsa Mosque, precisely to the Dome of the Rock, was probable within the next few hours.
They added that the construction works will take no more than three years time.
A report aired Saturday by the Israeli Channel 2 revealed underway activities and arrangements by the Israeli Women for the Temple Organization to start the construction of the alleged temple.
The activities include workshops and secret meetings to boost mass break-ins at al-Aqsa Mosque and celebrate wedding ceremonies once every couple of days.
Efforts have also been underway by Israeli lobbies to put such Israeli schemes into effect and garner support for the bid among Israeli MKs and stakeholders.
Another report broadcast Friday by the Israeli Channel 1 showed intensive preparations for the construction of the alleged temple, including raising a livestock as a sacrifice to the temple.
The report quoted the director of the Temple Institute, Yisrael Ariel, as stating that over 40 priests are awaiting instructions to start their work in the alleged temple and that the institute has prepared the needed equipment for the temple.
An Israeli map maker said during an interview that he has prepared detailed maps for the construction of the alleged temple on the ruins of al-Aqsa and over an area of 144 dunums. He added that a period of three years is fair enough to finalize the construction works.
The reports came at a time when Israelis have celebrated the so-called destruction of the temple ceremony.
Participants in the underway preparations claimed that the transfer of the needed equipment to the al-Aqsa Mosque, precisely to the Dome of the Rock, was probable within the next few hours.
They added that the construction works will take no more than three years time.
A report aired Saturday by the Israeli Channel 2 revealed underway activities and arrangements by the Israeli Women for the Temple Organization to start the construction of the alleged temple.
The activities include workshops and secret meetings to boost mass break-ins at al-Aqsa Mosque and celebrate wedding ceremonies once every couple of days.
Efforts have also been underway by Israeli lobbies to put such Israeli schemes into effect and garner support for the bid among Israeli MKs and stakeholders.
Another report broadcast Friday by the Israeli Channel 1 showed intensive preparations for the construction of the alleged temple, including raising a livestock as a sacrifice to the temple.
The report quoted the director of the Temple Institute, Yisrael Ariel, as stating that over 40 priests are awaiting instructions to start their work in the alleged temple and that the institute has prepared the needed equipment for the temple.
An Israeli map maker said during an interview that he has prepared detailed maps for the construction of the alleged temple on the ruins of al-Aqsa and over an area of 144 dunums. He added that a period of three years is fair enough to finalize the construction works.
The Israeli planning and construction committee on Sunday approved a bid to construct 4,200 illegal settlement units in the Modi’in settlement, to the west of the central occupied West Bank city of Ramallah.
The committee decided to grant the locals 60 days to file objections over the decision.
The settlement scheme, targeting an area of 1,140 dunums in western Ramallah, includes the construction of 1,050 housing units for newly-married couples, along with commercial and industrial units covering an area of 23,000 square meters.
The committee decided to grant the locals 60 days to file objections over the decision.
The settlement scheme, targeting an area of 1,140 dunums in western Ramallah, includes the construction of 1,050 housing units for newly-married couples, along with commercial and industrial units covering an area of 23,000 square meters.
14 aug 2016
Washington opposes Israel’s plan to move the outpost of Amona to land that belongs to Palestinians who were forced by Israeli army to leave their homes in the site in 1967.
A senior U.S. official noted that Washington had recently approached the Israeli government to strongly protest the matter. The administration had held a series of discussions with Israelis at working and senior levels on Amona, he added.
Political sources told Haaretz that no decision had been made on Amona, adding that the plan referred to did not involve the expropriation of land.
The Americans view the plan as deviating from commitments undertaken by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to President Barack Obama that Israel would not appropriate Palestinian land in the West Bank to establish new settlements or expand existing ones.
Israeli Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau commented on Amona Thursday night as part of a daily briefing to reporters.
“We’re deeply concerned by reports that the Israeli government has begun the process to take over privately-owned Palestinian land to relocate the illegal Israeli outpost of Amona,” she said.
A senior U.S. official noted that Washington had recently approached the Israeli government to strongly protest the matter. The administration had held a series of discussions with Israelis at working and senior levels on Amona, he added.
Political sources told Haaretz that no decision had been made on Amona, adding that the plan referred to did not involve the expropriation of land.
The Americans view the plan as deviating from commitments undertaken by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to President Barack Obama that Israel would not appropriate Palestinian land in the West Bank to establish new settlements or expand existing ones.
Israeli Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau commented on Amona Thursday night as part of a daily briefing to reporters.
“We’re deeply concerned by reports that the Israeli government has begun the process to take over privately-owned Palestinian land to relocate the illegal Israeli outpost of Amona,” she said.
12 aug 2016
In the anticipation of extending existing illegal settlements on Palestinian lands, Israeli forces have been setting up new mobile homes in the heart of Hebron’s old city.
Thus far they have built 12 mobile homes behind the military base, in the old bus station behind Osama Bin Monqez School, according to the PNN.
Hebron Rehabilitation Committee (HRC) warns that, from this violation, more human rights abuses and restrictions will occur.
Specifically, they say, this action runs parallel to the establishment of new checkpoints at the entrance of the Ibrahimi Mosque and the changes being made to other checkpoints across the Old City, ion order to make the Israeli presence more permanent and restrictive on the local Palestinian population.
HRC fears that the intensifying Israeli plans to completely isolate and colonize areas for Israelis only will lead to the entire heart of the Old City being captured as one large Jewish settlement.
The General Manager of HRC, Emad Hamdan, has called upon all Palestinian organizations and institutions, international human rights organizations and diplomatic missions to expose and work to end the Israeli attacks on Palestinian properties and citizens in Hebron’s Old City.
Thus far they have built 12 mobile homes behind the military base, in the old bus station behind Osama Bin Monqez School, according to the PNN.
Hebron Rehabilitation Committee (HRC) warns that, from this violation, more human rights abuses and restrictions will occur.
Specifically, they say, this action runs parallel to the establishment of new checkpoints at the entrance of the Ibrahimi Mosque and the changes being made to other checkpoints across the Old City, ion order to make the Israeli presence more permanent and restrictive on the local Palestinian population.
HRC fears that the intensifying Israeli plans to completely isolate and colonize areas for Israelis only will lead to the entire heart of the Old City being captured as one large Jewish settlement.
The General Manager of HRC, Emad Hamdan, has called upon all Palestinian organizations and institutions, international human rights organizations and diplomatic missions to expose and work to end the Israeli attacks on Palestinian properties and citizens in Hebron’s Old City.
The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) on Thursday decided to seize 231 dunums of Palestinian-owned land in Silwad town, northeast of Ramallah, in order to build a settlement outpost.
The IOA published an announcement in the Palestinian newspaper al-Quds stating its intention to annex an abandoned plot of land in the town.
Palestinian official sources said that this plot of land belongs to absent Palestinians who do not live in the West Bank and that the IOA intends to use the law of absentee property to relocate the settlers of Amona outpost to it.
For its part, the Israeli group Peace Now condemned Israel's intent to seize an abandoned private land as a serious violation of previous governments' policy that refrained from seizing absentee property for settlers.
The IOA published an announcement in the Palestinian newspaper al-Quds stating its intention to annex an abandoned plot of land in the town.
Palestinian official sources said that this plot of land belongs to absent Palestinians who do not live in the West Bank and that the IOA intends to use the law of absentee property to relocate the settlers of Amona outpost to it.
For its part, the Israeli group Peace Now condemned Israel's intent to seize an abandoned private land as a serious violation of previous governments' policy that refrained from seizing absentee property for settlers.
Khalil al-Tafakji, expert of settlement affairs, said that Israeli recent settlement plans aim at isolating east Jerusalem from the West Bank and annexing it to Israel in order not to become the capital of the projected Palestinian State.
Those plans come within the Israeli government’s series of procedures to build 54,000 new housing units in Occupied Jerusalem by 2020, he added.
In his talk to the PIC reporter, Tafakji pointed out that the building project of 770 units in Gilo Settlement along with what is being done in the settlements of Ramot, Ramat Shlomo and Givat Zeev are projects pre-planned in 2012 and 2013.
The Israeli government approved on Thursday the construction of two towers in Pisgat Ze'ev settlement in northern Occupied Jerusalem.
Israeli municipality had earlier submitted another project of establishing 2500 new housing units extending from Gilo settlement to the tunnels area over Beit Jala and Bethlehem lands to the south of Occupied Jerusalem.
Those plans come within the Israeli government’s series of procedures to build 54,000 new housing units in Occupied Jerusalem by 2020, he added.
In his talk to the PIC reporter, Tafakji pointed out that the building project of 770 units in Gilo Settlement along with what is being done in the settlements of Ramot, Ramat Shlomo and Givat Zeev are projects pre-planned in 2012 and 2013.
The Israeli government approved on Thursday the construction of two towers in Pisgat Ze'ev settlement in northern Occupied Jerusalem.
Israeli municipality had earlier submitted another project of establishing 2500 new housing units extending from Gilo settlement to the tunnels area over Beit Jala and Bethlehem lands to the south of Occupied Jerusalem.
11 aug 2016
Construction in the settlement of Ofra
Gov't admits to Supreme Court it mistakenly expropriated more than 11 acres of Palestinian land in the middle of the settlement of Ofra, leading both sides to demand gov't to resolve the issue.
In a rare event, the Israeli government has admitted to the Supreme Court that it mistakenly expropriated more than 11 acres of private Palestinian land in Ofra, a Jewish settlement built on land Israel captured in 1967. At least nine homes have been built on this land, and Palestinian lawyers say the land must be returned to its owners.
“We are asking the Israeli government to destroy the houses of the settlers which were built on this land, to evacuate the land and to give it back to the Palestinians,” Tawfiq Jabarin, a lawyer representing the Palestinian families who claim the land told The Media Line.
Ofra was started in 1975 and today an estimated 3,500 Israelis live there. About halfway between Ramallah and Nablus, it is in the heart of the West Bank. The piece of land under contention now was originally confiscated by Jordan for use as an army camp in 1966. When Israel captured the area, it declared it “state land,” in order to legalize the building of Ofra. But Israel went beyond the boundaries of the original Jordanian confiscation, causing the mistake the state has now admitted.
In 2011, Palestinians petitioned the Supreme Court against Ofra’s new master zoning plan, saying they owned part of the land it includes. The state this week admitted that it had erroneously expropriated the 11 acres.
Residents say that as it was the government’s mistake, it’s up to the government to fix it. In any case, the disputed land is right in the center of the community, which would make it impossible to leave.
“Our expectation is for the government to get out of this problem and to authorize this area,” Miri Ovadiah, a spokeswoman for the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council, which includes Ofra, told The Media Line. “If compensation needs to be granted, the government should do that too.”
She said there are nine homes built on the piece of land in question, while lawyer Tawfiq Jabareen said aerial photos show 60 buildings on the land, including several public buildings like schools. Ovadiah says she does not believe that the Palestinian owners have proper documents to prove their ownership.
Israeli left-wing activist Dror Etkes, who has filed several of the petitions in the Amona case, says the state decision does not go far enough.
“About two-thirds of Ofra is built on private Palestinian property outside the original land confiscation for a military camp,” Etkes told The Media Line. “The only part they can legalize is the land from the Jordanian confiscation, which is about one-third of the land of Ofra.”
The case in Ofra shows the complexity over land claims in the West Bank. Israel has not annexed the West Bank, but has been in control for almost 50 years. Today, an estimated 370,000 Israelis live in the West Bank, along with 200,000 in East Jerusalem. The Israeli government says that East Jerusalem, which it annexed in 1967, must remain the undivided sovereign capital of Israel. Palestinians say the entire West Bank and Gaza Strip, with it’s over 4 million Palestinians, along with East Jerusalem, must become the Palestinian state.
Also in Ofra is the outpost of Amona, which Jewish residents call a “neighborhood.” Built on a hill overlooking Ofra in 1995, and today with about 200 Israelis living there, the Supreme Court has ruled it was built on private Palestinian land, and is illegal according to Israeli law. The Israeli government continues to fight the court’s eviction order and one attempt to evict the residents ended in violence.
Etkes says there is a precedent for dismantling settlements. In 2005, Israel decided to pull out of the Gaza Strip, and 9,000 Israelis were forced to leave their homes in Gaza. If the homes in Ofra are built on Palestinian land, he says, the government should demolish these homes as well and return the land to the original owners.
Gov't admits to Supreme Court it mistakenly expropriated more than 11 acres of Palestinian land in the middle of the settlement of Ofra, leading both sides to demand gov't to resolve the issue.
In a rare event, the Israeli government has admitted to the Supreme Court that it mistakenly expropriated more than 11 acres of private Palestinian land in Ofra, a Jewish settlement built on land Israel captured in 1967. At least nine homes have been built on this land, and Palestinian lawyers say the land must be returned to its owners.
“We are asking the Israeli government to destroy the houses of the settlers which were built on this land, to evacuate the land and to give it back to the Palestinians,” Tawfiq Jabarin, a lawyer representing the Palestinian families who claim the land told The Media Line.
Ofra was started in 1975 and today an estimated 3,500 Israelis live there. About halfway between Ramallah and Nablus, it is in the heart of the West Bank. The piece of land under contention now was originally confiscated by Jordan for use as an army camp in 1966. When Israel captured the area, it declared it “state land,” in order to legalize the building of Ofra. But Israel went beyond the boundaries of the original Jordanian confiscation, causing the mistake the state has now admitted.
In 2011, Palestinians petitioned the Supreme Court against Ofra’s new master zoning plan, saying they owned part of the land it includes. The state this week admitted that it had erroneously expropriated the 11 acres.
Residents say that as it was the government’s mistake, it’s up to the government to fix it. In any case, the disputed land is right in the center of the community, which would make it impossible to leave.
“Our expectation is for the government to get out of this problem and to authorize this area,” Miri Ovadiah, a spokeswoman for the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council, which includes Ofra, told The Media Line. “If compensation needs to be granted, the government should do that too.”
She said there are nine homes built on the piece of land in question, while lawyer Tawfiq Jabareen said aerial photos show 60 buildings on the land, including several public buildings like schools. Ovadiah says she does not believe that the Palestinian owners have proper documents to prove their ownership.
Israeli left-wing activist Dror Etkes, who has filed several of the petitions in the Amona case, says the state decision does not go far enough.
“About two-thirds of Ofra is built on private Palestinian property outside the original land confiscation for a military camp,” Etkes told The Media Line. “The only part they can legalize is the land from the Jordanian confiscation, which is about one-third of the land of Ofra.”
The case in Ofra shows the complexity over land claims in the West Bank. Israel has not annexed the West Bank, but has been in control for almost 50 years. Today, an estimated 370,000 Israelis live in the West Bank, along with 200,000 in East Jerusalem. The Israeli government says that East Jerusalem, which it annexed in 1967, must remain the undivided sovereign capital of Israel. Palestinians say the entire West Bank and Gaza Strip, with it’s over 4 million Palestinians, along with East Jerusalem, must become the Palestinian state.
Also in Ofra is the outpost of Amona, which Jewish residents call a “neighborhood.” Built on a hill overlooking Ofra in 1995, and today with about 200 Israelis living there, the Supreme Court has ruled it was built on private Palestinian land, and is illegal according to Israeli law. The Israeli government continues to fight the court’s eviction order and one attempt to evict the residents ended in violence.
Etkes says there is a precedent for dismantling settlements. In 2005, Israel decided to pull out of the Gaza Strip, and 9,000 Israelis were forced to leave their homes in Gaza. If the homes in Ofra are built on Palestinian land, he says, the government should demolish these homes as well and return the land to the original owners.
10 aug 2016
The so-called Committee for Planning and Construction, in the municipality of Jerusalem, is scheduled to discuss a plan to confiscate lands from the Mount Scopus neighborhood, in Jerusalem, for the construction of synagogues and a plunge pool.
The synagogue and pool are to be constructed in the settlement neighborhood of “Nosav Zion”. The area of land that will be forfeited is 1.2 dunums, while 90 families live in the community, surrounded by the Mount Scopus neighborhood.
According to to Al Ray, Jerusalem municipality member of the Meretz leftist party, Laura Warten, protested the plan, saying that the Mount Scopus neighborhood lacks many of the urgent and basic amenities, while the municipality seeks to take control of the territories that are not considered as Israeli areas before any country in the world.
New settlement plan near Jerusalem, synagogue in Mount Scopus
The Israeli building committee in Jerusalem Municipality decided to establish 62 new housing units in Pisgat Zeev near occupied Jerusalem one day after the decision of constructing thousands of housing units between Gilo and the tunnels areas.
The same committee approved confiscating a Palestinian land lot of 1.2-kilometer estimated area for the establishment of a Jewish synagogue in the Nof Zion neighborhood, which is inhabited by 90 very wealthy families, in Mount Scopus in occupied Jerusalem.
Israeli daily Haaretz reported that the Jerusalem municipality had announced that the owner of the Palestinian land plot was not identified, claiming that the confiscation decision followed a request by the Religious Structures Administration in Jerusalem.
The synagogue and pool are to be constructed in the settlement neighborhood of “Nosav Zion”. The area of land that will be forfeited is 1.2 dunums, while 90 families live in the community, surrounded by the Mount Scopus neighborhood.
According to to Al Ray, Jerusalem municipality member of the Meretz leftist party, Laura Warten, protested the plan, saying that the Mount Scopus neighborhood lacks many of the urgent and basic amenities, while the municipality seeks to take control of the territories that are not considered as Israeli areas before any country in the world.
New settlement plan near Jerusalem, synagogue in Mount Scopus
The Israeli building committee in Jerusalem Municipality decided to establish 62 new housing units in Pisgat Zeev near occupied Jerusalem one day after the decision of constructing thousands of housing units between Gilo and the tunnels areas.
The same committee approved confiscating a Palestinian land lot of 1.2-kilometer estimated area for the establishment of a Jewish synagogue in the Nof Zion neighborhood, which is inhabited by 90 very wealthy families, in Mount Scopus in occupied Jerusalem.
Israeli daily Haaretz reported that the Jerusalem municipality had announced that the owner of the Palestinian land plot was not identified, claiming that the confiscation decision followed a request by the Religious Structures Administration in Jerusalem.
Israeli bulldozers escorted by Israeli soldiers on Wednesday morning removed hundreds of olive trees on a vast tract of Palestinian-owned land in Iskaka village, east of Salfit province.
Chief of the village Abdul-Qader Abu Hakema told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that the bulldozers uprooted about 500 olive trees from the land, which the Israeli army claimed to be state land.
He added that the landowners and farmers rushed to the area in an attempt to protect the olive trees, but soldiers intercepted them and barred them from approaching the bulldozers.
In this regard, local researcher Khaled Maali said the annexed land is located in al-Bayyadah area and was bulldozed to expand settlements east of Iskaka village.
Israel is embarking nowadays on expanding all the settlements in Salfit province and has annexed vast tracts of land for that purpose, according to Maali.
Chief of the village Abdul-Qader Abu Hakema told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that the bulldozers uprooted about 500 olive trees from the land, which the Israeli army claimed to be state land.
He added that the landowners and farmers rushed to the area in an attempt to protect the olive trees, but soldiers intercepted them and barred them from approaching the bulldozers.
In this regard, local researcher Khaled Maali said the annexed land is located in al-Bayyadah area and was bulldozed to expand settlements east of Iskaka village.
Israel is embarking nowadays on expanding all the settlements in Salfit province and has annexed vast tracts of land for that purpose, according to Maali.
9 aug 2016
The Israeli government and the Jerusalem City Council are advancing a plan to build 25000 units in Gilo illegal colony, south of occupied East Jerusalem.
Gilo was built on lands owned by Palestinians from Beit Jala, al-Walaja and Batteer in the West Bank district of Bethlehem.
The new construction plan, that enjoys the approval of the Jerusalem City Council, is being pushed by private developers, and targets around 200 Dunams of privately-owned Palestinian lands.
Israeli daily Haaretz said the developer Nehemiah Davidi and architect David Guggenheim are working on presenting a master plan meant to “outline the actual details of the new neighborhood.”
Haaretz added that the plan will face some difficulties due to what it called “American opposition” to Israeli constructions in the West Bank, and that another construction plan, named “South Gilo Terraces,” was delayed “due to political pressures.”
Israel’s colonies in and around occupied Jerusalem, and the West Bank, are illegal under International Law and the Fourth Geneva Convention to which Israel is a signatory.
While the Palestinians are losing their lands to Israel’s illegal colonies and the Apartheid Wall, Tel Aviv continues to advance plans to build and expand in the occupied West Bank, including in and around occupied East Jerusalem.
Last month, the Israeli “Civil Administration”, approved the construction of 90 settlement units in Gilo settlement.
In the same month, the so-called “Israel Land Authority released tenders for the construction of 323 units in occupied Jerusalem.
According to the new plan, 130 housing units will be built in the Har Homa settlement on Abu Ghneim Mountain, east of Bethlehem, 89 others in Gilo settlement, to the south of Jerusalem, 68 in Pisgat Ze’ev and Neve Yaakov settlements, north of Jerusalem.
Gilo was built on lands owned by Palestinians from Beit Jala, al-Walaja and Batteer in the West Bank district of Bethlehem.
The new construction plan, that enjoys the approval of the Jerusalem City Council, is being pushed by private developers, and targets around 200 Dunams of privately-owned Palestinian lands.
Israeli daily Haaretz said the developer Nehemiah Davidi and architect David Guggenheim are working on presenting a master plan meant to “outline the actual details of the new neighborhood.”
Haaretz added that the plan will face some difficulties due to what it called “American opposition” to Israeli constructions in the West Bank, and that another construction plan, named “South Gilo Terraces,” was delayed “due to political pressures.”
Israel’s colonies in and around occupied Jerusalem, and the West Bank, are illegal under International Law and the Fourth Geneva Convention to which Israel is a signatory.
While the Palestinians are losing their lands to Israel’s illegal colonies and the Apartheid Wall, Tel Aviv continues to advance plans to build and expand in the occupied West Bank, including in and around occupied East Jerusalem.
Last month, the Israeli “Civil Administration”, approved the construction of 90 settlement units in Gilo settlement.
In the same month, the so-called “Israel Land Authority released tenders for the construction of 323 units in occupied Jerusalem.
According to the new plan, 130 housing units will be built in the Har Homa settlement on Abu Ghneim Mountain, east of Bethlehem, 89 others in Gilo settlement, to the south of Jerusalem, 68 in Pisgat Ze’ev and Neve Yaakov settlements, north of Jerusalem.