Israel Advances East Jerusalem Settlements Amid Election Concerns

Israel has rapidly advanced the development of three settlements in East Jerusalem in recent weeks, according to the Israeli NGO Ir Amim. The organization links this acceleration to the impending parliamentary elections, suggesting the government aims to solidify its control on the ground before a potential change in leadership.

The projects include a new settlement in Um Tuba, a new enclave in Um Lison, and a significant expansion of the existing Gilo settlement. These developments are concentrated in southern East Jerusalem, the part of the city occupied by Israel in 1967 and later annexed. The areas lie between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, bordering the West Bank.

In Um Tuba, a Palestinian neighborhood, the District Committee approved the construction of 650 housing units on August 7. Notably, the plan permits buildings up to 14 stories, a stark contrast to the typical four-story limit for Palestinian construction in the area. Ir Amim highlighted that this project is promoted by Australian businessman and settlement activist Kevin Burmeister.

In Um Lison, 450 housing units were approved in a Palestinian area. The Jerusalem Municipality, under Israeli governance, is the applicant for this project, marking the first time the municipality has formally participated in a settlement project within a Palestinian neighborhood, according to the NGO. Meanwhile, the Gilo settlement, already home to approximately 30,000 residents, received approval for 2,300 new housing units. Ir Amim warns this expansion could extend the settlement to Road 60, a key route connecting East Jerusalem with Bethlehem and southern West Bank.

Aviv Tatarsky, a researcher at Ir Amim, stated that individually these plans are significant, but collectively they indicate a clear policy. "They will reformulate East Jerusalem, deepen the separation from the southern West Bank, and make a future political agreement even more difficult to reach," Tatarsky said. "Being before the elections, it looks like an attempt to leave decisions made that the next government will find difficult to reverse."