The ‘Peace Now’ group rejected the proposal to build 9,000 houses in the old Atarot airport, in East Jerusalem, in an area located between the towns of Kfar Aqab, Qalandia and A Ram, in Palestine.

If approved and built, this will be the first colony in that area of the city since 1997, when the government of Benjamin Netanayhu lifted the Har Homa settlement, the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) denounced on its website.

According to the NGO, this is a very dangerous plan because it would deal a mortal blow to the two-state solution since it is projected right in the middle of the Palestinian urban territorial continuity.

‘Peace Now’ stressed that the initiative prevents the creation of a future Palestinian state with that part of the city as its capital. The Israeli authorities are also promoting other projects: the expansion of Har Homa, the construction of another new neighborhood in Givat Hamatos and a third near the Maale Adumim colony, all in the interior or near that city.

Any of these plans, ‘not to mention their combined effect, will fragment the integrity of Palestinian Jerusalem and add to existing obstacles to a Palestinian capital in the city, thus diminishing the prospects for a future two-state solution,’ the Ir Amim stated.

The Israeli coalition executive is divided on the expansion and construction of new settlements in Palestinian areas.

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