The Israeli government is preparing to launch a project in Kedar 'B' settlement southeast of Jerusalem city, located within Ma'ale Adumim settlements' Bloc. The project includes the construction of 6000 housing units in the aforementioned settlement and will be put forward for discussion and planning during the first week of August 2008. The Kedar project aims at linking Kedar 'B' Settlement with its neighboring mother settlement 'Kedar' to ensure the contiguity of Ma'ale Adumim settlements and the annexation of the bloc to Jerusalem city and to Israel upon the completion of wall construction around Jerusalem. See Map 1
Israeli's plan to intensify settlement construction within the boundaries of Jerusalem city and it surroundings comes within a larger plan which aims at transforming it into a Metropolitan Jerusalem or what the Israelis call as 'Greater Jerusalem'. After Israel, illegally and unilaterally, redefined the boundaries of East Jerusalem following its occupation of the city back in 1967, and in violation of International law, it deliberately launched several settlements' projects in the heart of the city and its environs which revived the Jewish presence in the city beginning with the destruction of more than 700 Palestinian houses in the old city of Jerusalem and rebuilding the so-called today, the Israeli Jewish Quarter.
Nowadays, there are 16 Israeli settlements within the municipal boundaries of occupied Jerusalem, most specifically in the eastern side of the city; while there are 18 Israeli settlements set outside the municipal boundaries of Jerusalem city and include several settlements' blocs, the most notable is 'Ma'ale-Adumim settlement bloc.. The bloc. is located east of Jerusalem city and consists of 8 Israeli settlements which constitute a major obstacle in the Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations if Israel moves ahead with its plans to construct the segregation wall and annex that bloc to the new boundaries of Jerusalem city; along with annexing the Gush Etzion settlement bloc. and the Giv'at Ze'ev settlement bloc. located to the southwest and north of Jerusalem city respectively;
If implemented, the wall will lead to a geographical separation between the northern and southern parts of the West Bank and complete isolation of East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank governorates which will undermine the opportunity to establish a sovereign Palestinian State with Jerusalem as Its capital.
Jerusalem after Annapolis
In the aftermath of Annapolis summit which was held on the 26th of November 2007, and during which, Israel committed itself to freeze settlement construction in West Bank settlements, Israel launched several building plans and issued tenders for thousands of housing units in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a total of 25,483 units, out of which, 24,704 housing units (97% of the total number of the planned housing units) in Israeli settlements inside the so-called Israeli 'Greater Jerusalem'. What Israel is doing on the ground is a continuation to its old-new policy, to create a de facto realty in the occupied Palestinian territory, manipulate and Prejudice the future negotiations with Palestinians, at which Israel seeks to change the concept of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict from 'A Struggle For Rights' to 'A Struggle to only meet the Palestinians' basic needs of survival', without having to deal with the concept of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. From this perspective, Israel constructed several crossings around Jerusalem city which are more like border crossings between two different geographical territories, to control all those entering into and/or exiting from Jerusalem city or Israel from the West Bank, whether people, goods … etc.
The Israeli message
What is happening in Jerusalem city and its surroundings, from intensive settlement building and the construction of the Israeli Segregation wall, clearly highlights the intention of the Israeli Government to change the geographical and demographic status of the city of Jerusalem in a way that suits the Israeli visions of segregation and annexation. The Israeli colonization activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory following the Annapolis summit send a loud and clear message from Israel to Palestinians in that:
1. Jerusalem will not be included in any negotiations unless the presence of Israel and Israeli settlements is recognized in the city of Jerusalem;
2. To the people of Israel, to ensure them that talks held with the Palestinians will not affect the Israeli expansionist plans in the city, and
3. To the international community, to refer that Jerusalem city would be included in negotiations, only under Israeli terms, and that any talks or agreements to freeze settlement building will not include Jerusalem city or its environs, which is 'Greater Jerusalem' area.
Jerusalem, and the Israelization plans
What Israel has done and continues to do over the years of occupation comes within a larger Israeli plan to israelize the city of Jerusalem. The successive Israeli governments have adopted a plan to surround Jerusalem city with Israeli settlements from all directions, in order to isolate the city from the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory; at the same time, obstruct and hinder the Urban expansion of Palestinian Communities in the city, first through re-defining the boundaries of the occupied city to 'Jerusalem municipal boundaries' and occupying the eastern part of the city in 1967. This in turn, has changed the classifications and divisions of lands in East Jerusalem by announcing 34% of the lands of East Jerusalem as confiscated for public-purposes, 44% of the lands were classified as green area, 9% has been allocated for the expansion of settlements construction while maintaining the remaining 13% of land which include the Palestinian Urban communities at their status; denied them basic services and issuance of building permits to meet their needs of expansion, demolished their houses under the pretext of Illegal building, and imposed high Tax doubled that imposed on Israelis living in the city, all aimed at driving Palestinians living in that part of the city out of it.
In addition, Israel throughout the 40 years of occupation, has built 34 Israeli settlements in Jerusalem Governorate with a population reaching today to approximately 260 thousand settlers, out of which, 16 Israeli settlements are inhabited by nearly 200,000 settlers inside 'Jerusalem municipal Boundaries', which includes East Jerusalem Territory.
The Successive Israeli Governments have also focused on the demography of the occupied city and constantly sought to ensure that the Palestinian population in Jerusalem city would not exceed one forth the total population of the city; therefore, intensified Settlements' building in East Jerusalem and carried out polices to drive Palestinians out of the city.
The Israeli planned actions to seize East Jerusalem by creating geographical and demographical facts on the ground throughout the years of occupation aimed at excluding Jerusalem city from any future peace talks and ensuring the geographical separation between the northern and southern West Bank parts to undermine the Palestinian dream of establishing an independent and legitimate state with Jerusalem as it's capital.
Prepared by
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
