Israel Advances 3,400 New Settlement Plans in East Jerusalem

Featured image: Illegal Settlements in the West Bank Source: ISM Palestine

Timed strategically before the upcoming Israeli elections, the Israeli authorities have recently advanced three major settlement plans, which are illegal under international law, that include over 3,400 units in occupied East Jerusalem, specifically targeting Palestinian neighborhoods Umm Tuba and Umm Lison, along with the illegal settlement of Gilo.

In Umm Tuba, a new settlement called Nofei Rachel is set to comprise approximately 650 units, in Umm Lison, a plan for 450 settlement units has received approval, and the largest project, expanding Gilo by over 2,300 units, aiming to strengthen the Israeli settlements and further sever connections between East Jerusalem and the West Bank. This rapid advancement of plans is a coordinated policy to deepen the fragmentation of Palestinian neighborhoods.