Since the break out of the current Intifada in September 2000, the Israeli Government has increased its vicious attack on Palestinian properties to demolish more houses and confiscate more land under the pretext of ''military purposes'' and legal justifications for their continued confiscation policy of Palestinian lands. These justifications varied through time but the policy itself had never been changed or altered.
In 1993, the Israeli government started planning to establish a Ring Road project (Number 4585) that will link the southern part of East Jerusalem with its northern one, neglecting the negative effects that will result from executing this Project which will expose almost 45 houses to be demolished and 1250 dunums to be confiscated in addition to the loss of other private properties.
The Israeli justification at that time was that because Palestinians are banned from entering Jerusalem, they cannot travel easily between towns such as Bethlehem and Hebron, south of Jerusalem, Ramallah and Nablus to the north. This project would connect the Israeli settlements in the southern part of Jerusalem (Gilo and Harhoma (Abu Ghniem) with those in the northern part (Maale Adummim) and Maale Ashor), as well as connecting Jerusalem's settlements with the coastal area of Israel.
Despite the huge number of protests against this project to reconsider the case and the consequences that will follow the demolition process, and the number of families that will become homeless, if the demolition order is carried out. The Israeli government is still determined to carry out the project thinking that it will serve the civilians in the first place and encourage the investment of more projects in the area.
Prepared by:
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
