The Israeli occupation has actually begun work on a plan to build a new settlement neighborhood on the lands of the historic “Qalandia Airport” north of occupied Jerusalem, despite international opposition to the project.

“Qalandia Airport” is located between the cities of Jerusalem and Ramallah, and the occupation authorities seized it after occupying the city in 1967, and annexed it to it in 1981 under the “Jerusalem Law,” but closed it in 2000, and named it “Atarot Airport.”

The occupation established on the land of the airport, the Qalandia checkpoint, which separates northern Jerusalem from Ramallah, and in February 2012 it turned into an industrial zone.

The researcher specialized in Jerusalem affairs, Fakhri Abu Diab, explained to “Safa” agency that the occupation municipality in Jerusalem began work on the infrastructure and the construction of several streets at the Qalandia crossing, and the promotion of the settlement plan aimed at establishing a huge settlement neighborhood in the area on an area of ​​1,240 dunams of airport land. Approved by the “Regional Committee for Building and Organization” in 2020.

He added that the works will include the construction of four streets to connect the “Qalandia Airport” area with settlements east of Jerusalem, to the Jordan Valley and the Palestinian coast, as well as east a road from the southern region to the city of Jerusalem to the cities of Bethlehem and Hebron.

According to him, the settlement neighborhood includes the construction of 9,000 housing units for ultra-Orthodox Jews, in addition to the establishment of recreational and commercial places, an industrial zone, a huge hotel of 20 floors, several high buildings, and other facilities.

The Israeli Ministry of Housing – according to Abu Diab – is supervising the settlement project in cooperation with the occupation municipality, and with the support of the Israeli far-right.

It shows that this project aims to separate the city of Jerusalem from the West Bank, especially the northern region, which will be closed permanently, as part of the completion of the establishment of a settlement belt in the vicinity of the city, and the construction of settlement units for settlers.

The settlement project aims to expand and change the borders of the city of Jerusalem, dismember the Palestinian villages located in the area, and prevent any continuity or geographical expansion, even with Palestinian neighborhoods and gatherings.

Abu Diab indicates that this project will become the largest settlement settlement after “Ma’ale Adumim” east of Jerusalem, and comes within the so-called “Jerusalem 2030 plan,” which aims to completely change the civilized face of the city.

He explains that the occupation authorities have prevented Palestinians from investing in the abandoned airport lands, in favor of construction and urban expansion, in return allowing settlers to control Palestinian lands and build settlements on them.

He points out that part of the airport lands are privately owned by Palestinians, and the other part belongs to people from the State of Kuwait, but the Israeli Ministry of Housing claims that it belongs to “the state and the National Fund of Israel.”

According to the plan, “property redistribution in the area will take place before issuing licenses, without the consent of the land owners.”

Several years ago, Palestinian investors decided to exploit the empty airport land in favor of establishing a modern model Palestinian village, but the occupation confiscated the land and prevented any work or investment in it, except for the benefit of the settlers.

The settlement scheme sparked widespread political opposition in the United States and Europe, and was frozen and postponed by order of the office of former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In this regard, Abu Diab says: “Despite the international opposition, Naftali’s government did not care about this, and insists on implementing it, to control more Palestinian lands and build settlements.”

After a freeze that lasted more than a year, the settlement plan was put on the “Planning and Building Committee” table, to discuss its payment before considering the public objections (the settlers’ observations in order to suit the plan to their desires), before holding an additional meeting next December, to push for a move Advance with the scheme procedures.

Netanyahu had postponed the payment procedures for the scheme in February 2020, due to the opposition of the administration of former US President Donald Trump, as the “deal of the century” included plans to establish a tourist area for the Palestinians in the area designated for the new settlement neighborhood in “Atarot.”

According to a report published by the Hebrew “Walla” website, Netanyahu tried to obtain the green light to advance the plan from the Trump administration at the end of his term, but the White House opposed it.

Safa