Occupation begins construction of new 6-kilometer settlement road north of Jerusalem

Sources in the Jerusalem Governorate reported today, Thursday, that the Israeli occupation authorities have actually begun constructing a new settlement road located in the northern part of occupied Jerusalem. The sources clarified that this road extends for 6 kilometers, starting from the town of Mikhmas in the east and reaching the village of Qalandia in the west.

The Governorate warned that this project is part of a strategic plan to establish the widest network of bypass settlement roads aimed at tightening the siege around occupied Jerusalem. The sources confirmed that the occupation authorities confiscated 280 dunams of land from four Palestinian towns to implement this road.

In a related context, the Jerusalem Governorate stated in a statement issued yesterday, Wednesday, that the occupation's announcement of signing an agreement to build 2780 new settlement units to expand an existing settlement north of the city represents a dangerous escalation of colonial settlement policies and the imposition of facts on the ground by force of arms.

The statement mentioned that this plan coincides with systematic attacks targeting Palestinian citizens, especially in the 'Ma'azi Jaba' cluster, where settler attacks are increasing under the protection of occupation forces to push residents towards forced displacement and empty the area in preparation for settlement expansion north and east of Jerusalem.

The Governorate stressed that these expansionist projects fall within an Israeli policy aimed at changing the demographic and geographical reality of the city, and completely isolating it from its Palestinian surroundings in the occupied West Bank, which prevents any future geographical continuity.

The Jerusalem Governorate also affirmed that these moves constitute a blatant violation of international law, the Fourth Geneva Convention, and Security Council resolutions that criminalize settlement. It warned that international silence gives the occupation a green light to proceed with policies of creeping annexation and demographic cleansing.

This settlement plan is inseparable from the systematic and escalating attacks to which Palestinian citizens in the surrounding areas are subjected.