In a move that threatens the livelihoods of Palestinian families, specialists in Jerusalem and settlement affairs warn that the Israeli occupation is actively planning to evict numerous Palestinian families from their homes while simultaneously embarking on an ambitious project to build tens of thousands of new settlement units in Jerusalem before the year 2030.
Minister of Jerusalem Affairs, Fadi Al-Hidmi, revealed that the Israeli occupation has poured billions of shekels into implementing plans for over 18,000 settlement units across Jerusalem this year alone, including the establishment of five new settlements within the city’s borders.
Al-Hidmi detailed that among the most concerning developments is the rapid expansion of the Kidmat Tzion settlement, set to include 384 settlement units in the Abu Dis and Ras al-Amud areas. Additionally, plans are underway to build 3,500 settlement units in a new settlement called New Talpiot Mountain, located south of Jerusalem, as well as the “Lower Canal” settlement, which will encompass 1,465 units in the Sur Baher region. Other projects include the Umm Lisun settlement with 450 units and the Givat Shaked settlement with 695 units in Beit Safafa.
Al-Hidmi emphasized that alongside these settlements, numerous plans to establish thousands of settlement units in areas such as Gilo, Har Homa, Pisgat Ze’ev, Ramot, French Hill, Givat Hamatos, and Nof Zion are being approved or are in progress. He also pointed to the advancement of the E1 settlement plan.
The Minister of Jerusalem Affairs contended that these settlement initiatives are designed to isolate Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings, dealing a significant blow to the two-state solution.
He further noted that since the beginning of the year, more than 271 buildings have been demolished in Jerusalem, exacerbating the plight of Palestinian families.
Khalil Al-Tufakji, an expert on settlement affairs, echoed these concerns, stating that the Israeli occupation is aggressively intensifying settlement activities throughout Jerusalem with the goal of reaching their objectives by 2030.
Al-Tufakji emphasized that projects and roads designed to serve settlers and connect settlements pose a more significant threat than the settlements themselves. He cited the “Fabric of Life Road” as one of the most dangerous settlement projects, designed to isolate Palestinian communities and create a fait accompli on the ground.
“The goal of this road is to cut off Al-Eizariya and Abu Dis from Ma’ale Adumim settlement, connecting it to the apartheid road near Zaim, and further separating Palestinian neighborhoods from Israeli ones,” Al-Tufakji explained.
He added that this plan is part of the larger strategy to incorporate the settlements of Maale Adumim and Alon into the Israeli side of the Greater Jerusalem Project by 2050.
Furthermore, the Israeli occupation government has allocated millions of shekels for projects aimed at separating streets and connecting settlements, including Street No. 60, No. 1, and the tunnel in Shuafat.
In a deeply concerning move, the Israeli occupation aims to empty the area of Palestinians and replace them with Jewish settlers, planning to introduce 25,000 settlers into the region by 2030. This is being achieved through the issuance of demolition and expulsion orders, land confiscations, and property seizures against Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, further exacerbating the crisis in the city.
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