Palestine Economy Portal

Despite the allegations that the alliance agreement between Israel and the UAE has stopped the scheme to annex areas in the West Bank to Israel, the Israeli occupation continues with steps described as "de facto annexation." In parallel with the announcement of the Israeli-Emirati alliance, the Civil Administration of the occupation army approved settlement projects in the West Bank and East Jerusalem last week, according to the newspaper, Yediot Aharonot today, Sunday.

These settlement projects aim, according to the newspaper, to link the "Binyamin" settlement bloc, located in the Ramallah area, with occupied Jerusalem. The largest of these projects is the construction of a highway between the "Binyamin" industrial zone and the Atarot industrial zone in northern Jerusalem, and passes through a tunnel of 600 meters long, passing under the Qalandia checkpoint and the town of Al-Ram.

As part of the construction of this tunnel, the occupation authorities will confiscate Palestinian lands. The newspaper quoted the protocol of the work plan in this settlement project, claiming that "the project was planned in coordination with the Palestinian Authority, because it will serve the movement of Palestinians as well."

The Civil Administration of the Occupation has approved another project linked to Street No. 60, which is the only road that settlers will use from the settlements of Adam, Psagot, Beit El and Ofra, to reach Jerusalem directly.

The newspaper pointed out that the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in recent years referred to this area as a "fourth settlement bloc," along with the settlement blocs, "Ma'ale Adumim", "Gush Etzion" and "Ariel", which will be annexed to Israel in order to form part From "Jerusalem's Metropoline".

It was also approved to pave another road between the settlement bloc "Binyamin" and occupied Jerusalem, extending from "Adam" settlement to the Hizma checkpoint in northeastern Jerusalem, and the Walaja bypass road, south of Jerusalem, linking the settlement bloc "Gush Etzion" with Jerusalem, "with the aim of expanding (Settlement) Har Homa, with 560 new housing units, "according to the newspaper.

The newspaper quoted the researcher at the Israeli human rights organization Ir Amim Association, Aviv Tatarsky, as his assertion that "despite the official annexation of (occupied) areas, it has now been postponed, but the actual annexation is progressing dramatically."

The Israeli Finance Minister, Yisrael Katz, talked about the annexation plan during an interview with Israeli Public Radio "Kan", and confirmed that the plan was frozen before the agreement with the Emirates, and said that "showing the agreement as if it is related to this (plan) is more comfortable for all Arab countries."

Katz added, "The agreement with the UAE could form a basis for a major improvement of the Israeli economy, along with things they need from us in agriculture, high-tech and water. There are huge potentials here, and we can be a conduit for them to Europe and elsewhere."

Arab 48