Action on E1
Tuesday, June 13, 2006 at 07:53PM E1 is the land between Jerusalem and Maale Adumim that Israel wishes to develop. To prevent any viability or contiguity for a Palestinian State. APJP will be opposing this together with Israeli and Palestinian NGOs. Ir-Amim means City for All people.
Political Ramifications of the E1 Area
The area of land that has become popularly known as E1, to the north and west of the Jerusalem-Ma’aleh Edumim road, is constantly in the headlines lately. The Israeli government is currently making a number of decisions, including erecting the Separation Fence around this demarcated area, that will enable the building and settlement of E1.
Government spokespeople emphasize the need to connect the E1 area to Jerusalem, while others – among them even some Coalition members – not only sound less convinced regarding this matter, but their words are in fact at cross-purposes to the declarations of an unconditional obligation to settle this particular area.
It is obvious that the inconsistencies heard in Israel ’s declarations are due to pressures brought to bear by the American Government for Israel to adhere to its commitment to the “Road Map,” and to abstain from any new building outside the existing built-up areas.
Allegedly, this controversy pertains to the city of Ma’aleh Edumim to the east of Jerusalem.
But E1 is not a part of Ma’aleh Edumim, as this city is built today, and should be seen for what it really is – a separate settlement – which, if built, will have long-term repercussions on the political process between Israel and the future Palestinian state. In fact, the development of E1 will split the West Bank in two and will create Israeli hegemony over Arab Jerusalem. This course of action may not only compromise the possibility of reaching an agreement, but can even prevent the opening of negotiations between the sides.
The present route of the Separation Fence around E1 discloses ulterior political considerations rather that security ones, which do not serve the Israeli national interest. The intended route will create a dismembered West Bank , lacking the geographical integrity necessary for viable living conditions.
The need for physical contiguity between the different portions of the future Palestinian state will not be served through the construction of a number of bridges and tunnels. These will indeed connect the northern and southern parts of the West Bank , but this solution is barely sufficient, and will prevent the existence of a lively, self-propagating economy or the complete autonomous functioning of this area.
Moreover, Israeli control of the E1 region will thwart any options for the development of East Jerusalem, and will drive a wedge between East Jerusalem and its surroundings, that will prevent its functioning as a central city within the future Palestinian state.
The entire region of which Jerusalem is the center will – especially after the completion of the E1 plan – be under Israeli control, and will be characterized and defined by the “Jerusalem Security Envelope”. As a result, Palestinian villages such as Anata, Abu Dis, Azaria and A-Zayim, will not be integrally connected to the northern and southern parts of the West Bank (and not even to Jerusalem itself), and will lose their natural connection to East Jerusalem, without establishing alternative connections with the Palestinian region itself.
