The Jerusalem Governorate has announced that Israeli authorities are poised to seize more Palestinian land to advance the construction of a settlement road north of the city. A significant budget allocation is expected to be approved to facilitate the expansion of the controversial project.
In a statement released Sunday, the Governorate revealed that the Finance Committee of the Israeli municipality is scheduled to convene Monday to approve the budget earmarked for the implementation of Road 45, also known as the Quarry Road, north of Jerusalem. The existing road will encroach upon approximately 280 dunams (28 hectares) of land within the Jerusalem Governorate. Nearly half a billion shekels (approximately $160 million USD) have been allocated under the guise of ‘developing Road 437’.
According to the Governorate, the road stretches from the Hizma military checkpoint northeast of Jerusalem to the Jaba’ roundabout north of the city. The Governorate asserts that these settlement projects are not merely infrastructure improvements, but rather, are integral to Israel’s strategy to strengthen its network of settlements and assert complete control over the city and its surroundings. This constitutes an accelerated colonial encroachment, moving rapidly from planning to actual implementation.
The statement further contends that Israeli authorities are exploiting regional instability, including the aftermath of the recent war in Gaza, to expedite settlement expansion projects and impose a new reality on Palestinian land. The Governorate warns that Israeli policies aim to isolate Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings, transforming Palestinian towns into fragmented and isolated enclaves, while simultaneously facilitating settler access to settlements and encouraging settlement expansion.
The Governorate cautioned against the widespread confiscation of Palestinian-owned land, characterizing it as a violation of international law. It argues that the planned road represents the practical implementation of the so-called ‘Greater Jerusalem’ plan, as envisioned by Israel, incorporating settlements into the boundaries of the occupying municipality. It further accused Israel of employing all available means to alter the geography and Palestinian identity of the city, exploiting regional circumstances to accelerate the execution of its plans, reflecting an escalation of violations and crimes in the holy city. The Jerusalem Governorate calls on the international community to intervene and halt these illegal activities.
The expansion of Road 45 poses a direct threat to Palestinian livelihoods and further erodes the possibility of a two-state solution.
