Abu Ghneim Mountain is located less than two kilometers north of the city of Bethlehem, the Mountain has been historically and privately owned by Palestinian families from Bethlehem, Beit Sahour, as well as from the villages of Um Tuba and Sur Baher. The geographical location of the mountain gave it such importance as it was uninhabited and close to Jerusalem, this area was particularly attractive so that Israel decided in 1967 to unilaterally carve it out of the Bethlehem District, in a favor to include Abu Ghneim within the Jerusalem Municipal boundaries. See Map 1
On June 6, 1991, Israel's Minister of Finance, Mr. Isaac Moda'ee, ordered the sequestration of land in Abu Ghneim Mountain, to build a new Israeli Settlement, the only main purpose for doing so, is to appropriate and confiscate more lands so as to inhabit new Jewish settlers on the Palestinian reigns. See Photo 1
Abu Ghnaim Pre March, 1997
Now The Israeli Construction company (Ramat) comes with a new plan to construct new 108 housing units on that Settlement; after marketing the old ones, this Construction Company had already bought the land from the Israel's Land Administration ILA, and this will of course carve and segregate further areas out of Bethlehem District. If this Israeli Construction Company sell those new housing units the net price and the benefit from the selling will be NIS 85 million. See Photo 2.
This will not only limit the Palestinian existence in East Jerusalem and prevent the expansion of Palestinian groups and communities located nearby the Settlements, but also to connect Har Homa settlement with it's neighboring Gilo Settlement, in a way to exceed their expansion on the Palestinian lands. See Photo 3
Prepared by:
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
