Plans for 1500+ HU in Gilo Discussed at Local Planning Committee

December 4, 2019
On November 27, the Local Planning Committee discussed two new plans for the neighborhood/settlement of Gilo following close on the heels of the plan for 290 housing units (TPS40012) in Gilo, which was approved by the District Planning Committee just 10 days prior on November 17:

• TPS 532325 (marked in blue on map below) calls for the construction of 1444 housing units in place of the existing number of 288 units on 83 dunams of land within a built-up area located in the northeastern part of Gilo, adjacent to Beit Safafa. The plan is being promoted by a government-owned company by the name of Amidar. While this plan will not extend the settlement territorially, it will however, greatly increase its population in close proximity to Beit Safafa.

• TPS 647842 (marked in green on map below), which will expand the settlement eastwards towards Beit Jala, calls for approximately 110 housing units on 30 dunams of land on the eastern edge of Gilo along Route 60 (The Tunnel Road). The plan is being promoted by a private company. Part of the land was designated by Israel as absentee property, whose original owners could likely be current residents of Beit Jala since the land in question belonged to the town prior to 1967. It should be noted that this is the first detailed plan to be advanced within the framework of the general outline plan (TPS 125195) approved in March 2019 for roughly 3000 housing units on 300 dunams of land in east Gilo. The d rafting and approval of detailed plans is required for the eventual issuance of building permits.

Together all three plans will significantly increase the number of Israelis living over the Green Line in Gilo, while also extend the settlement territorially. These plans are being promoted in tandem with the massive road infrastructure developments in the area, including expansion of Route 60 as well as work on the planned route of the Jerusalem Light Rail’s green line. Road infrastructure projects are part and parcel of the settlement enterprise and are used to lay the groundwork for future settlement expansion. Not only will these developments expedite traffic between Gilo and West Jerusalem, but it will ease access between the Gush Etzion settlement bloc and Jerusalem.

For high resolution map, click here.