Israel speeding up construction of settlement separating Jerusalem from Bethlehem

Israeli forces take security measures after Palestinian Ihab al-Husayni’s settlement was pulled down by them allegedly for being unauthorised at Jabel Mukaber Neighborhood in East Jerusalem on February 28, 2023 [Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu Agency]

The Israeli municipality in the city of Jerusalem is accelerating the construction of a settlement neighbourhood in the south of the city, large parts of which are located behind the Green Line, preventing the geographical contiguity between occupied East Jerusalem and Bethlehem in the West Bank.

According to Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation Kan 11, the occupation municipality is hastening the construction in a new settlement neighbourhood, noting that this “is of great political importance, because it opposes the [geographical] contiguity between East Jerusalem and Bethlehem, and in fact prevents contiguity in a future Palestinian state.”

The report also noted that the new settlement neighbourhood will include more than 1,200 housing units. It will link the illegal HaMatos settlement near Beit Safafa, to Har Homa in Jabal Abu Ghneim.

According to the statistics of the Peace Now movement, there are about 666,000 illegal settlers living in 145 illegal settlements and 140 illegal outposts in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem.

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