Ahead of Elections, Israeli Government Advances Three Major Settlement Plans in East Jerusalem

The Israeli government has recently advanced three major settlement projects in East Jerusalem, including a new settlement in Umm Tuba, a new settlement enclave in Umm Lison, and a major expansion of Gilo. The timing raises concerns that the government is seeking to establish facts on the ground before leaving office.

Over the past month, the Jerusalem District Planning and Building Committee deposited a plan for a new settlement of approximately 650 housing units in the Palestinian neighborhood of Umm Tuba, approved for deposit a 450-unit settlement enclave in the heart of the Palestinian neighborhood of Umm Lison, and deposited a plan to expand the Gilo settlement by more than 2,300 housing units.

The three projects would collectively expand Israeli settlement construction in East Jerusalem while further fragmenting Palestinian neighborhoods, strengthening Israeli control over the area, and complicating the prospects for a future political agreement.

Umm Tuba

On August 7, the District Committee deposited the Planning Scheme “Nofei Rachel,” providing for approximately 650 housing units on 27 dunams at the main entrance to the Palestinian neighborhood of Umm Tuba. The project is promoted by Australian businessman and settlement activist Kevin Burmeister.

The settlement’s location is expected to affect residents’ freedom of movement and daily life. Moreover, while Palestinian residential construction in Umm Tuba is generally limited to four stories, the plan permits buildings of up to 14 stories.

Umm Lison

In early July, the District Committee approved for deposit a plan for approximately 450 housing units in the heart of the Palestinian neighborhood of Umm Lison.

After the private developers failed to meet the committee’s infrastructure requirements, the Jerusalem Municipality joined the project as a formal co-applicant, enabling the plan to move forward. This marks the first time the municipality has formally partnered in advancing a new settlement project inside a Palestinian neighborhood.

Gilo

At the end of July, the District Committee deposited a plan to expand the Gilo settlement by approximately 2,300 housing units across 195 dunams of land. The expansion would extend Gilo to Route 60 and, together with ongoing construction in Givat Hamatos and the planned expansion of Har Homa, further separate East Jerusalem from the Bethlehem area and the southern West Bank.

Ir Amim has also found that part of the land designated for the project had been taken from Palestinian owners under Israel’s Absentee Property Law before being allocated for settlement construction.