Occupied Jerusalem /PNN /
The Israeli Security Cabinet approved a plan on Saturday evening, proposed by Defence Minister Yisrael Katz, to construct new roads in the occupied Jerusalem area aimed at expanding and connecting settlements, particularly around the Ma’ale Adumim settlement. The decision was announced in an official statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office on Sunday.
The Israeli government described the move as a "historic step that will strengthen settlement expansion, security, and the well-being of all residents in the area," referring to settlements in the E1 region. The project is part of a broader effort to sever the northern and southern parts of the occupied West Bank.
The plan includes the construction of two main roads. The first will connect the Palestinian villages of Al-Eizariya and Al-Za’im, designated for Palestinian traffic to bypass the Ma’ale Adumim settlement bloc. Israeli authorities claim this will reduce congestion on Highway 1 and ease pressure at the Al-Za’im checkpoint.
The second road involves planning for the so-called "Alternative Route 80," a new bypass road east of Ma’ale Adumim that will link Al-Eizariya with an area near the Palestinian village of Khan Al-Ahmar, east of occupied Jerusalem.
According to the statement, the road will serve as an additional alternative to Highway 1, connecting Bethlehem to Jericho and the Jordan Valley—further consolidating Israeli control over key transport routes in the occupied West Bank.
The decision was based on security recommendations, with officials citing the "security conditions created during Operation ‘Iron Swords’" as justification for the project. The reference is to a shooting incident near the Al-Za’im checkpoint amid Israel’s ongoing military offensive in Gaza.
The statement added that the Israeli military commander in the occupied West Bank will oversee the project’s implementation, including planning for Alternative Route 80, while preserving land allocated for the future settlement of "Mishmar Yehuda," in line with previous government decisions.
The project will be funded through an "off-budget" fund managed by the Israeli Civil Administration, with 335 million shekels allocated for the road between Al-Eizariya and Al-Za’im and an additional 10 million shekels for planning Alternative Route 80. The Israeli Ministry of Transport will also provide financial support to settlement authorities for executing these projects.
