On Sunday, Israeli media sources said the Israeli government prepared a plan to construct 9000 illegal colonialist units on lands of the shuttered Qalandia airport, north of occupied Jerusalem, in the West Bank.
The sources said that while the plan has not yet been officially approved, it is being discussed to be submitted for final approval before the constructions take place.
The plan aims to completely separate the northern parts of Jerusalem from the rest of the occupied West Bank.
Ahmad Roweidi, a Jerusalem Affairs advisor to president Mahmoud Abbas, said there are several colonialist plans Israel is trying to advance and implement to boost its colonialist military occupation in the West Bank, especially in and around the occupied capital, Jerusalem.
He added that the Palestinian leadership is acting on various levels and conducting talks with several countries to counter the illegal Israeli plans, especially the so-called “E1” that aims at the complete separation and isolation of Palestinian communities and towns in East Jerusalem, from the rest of the West Bank, by boosting the “belt of colonies” around the occupied city.
Roweidi added that Palestinian envoys are also holding talks with the US Administration and European countries, especially since colonies are illegal under international law and constitute war crimes.
“The Palestinian leadership is demanding the United States, Europe, and various countries in the world to act and stop the Israeli violations and has already started preparing to file complaints with international courts, especially the International Criminal Court,” Roweidi stated.
“Israel’s illegal colonialist activities violate all international laws and declarations, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, and must be stopped, especially the most dangerous plan E1 that aims at the complete isolation of occupied East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank and effectively killing any future peaceful resolution to the conflict, including the establishment of an independent, contiguous Palestinian state, by turning the West Bank into separated and isolated cantons without any geographical contiguity,” the official added.
