RAMALLAH, West Bank — The Israeli government delayed voting on a bill to annex the settlement of Ma'ale Adumim to Jerusalem, which was scheduled for Jan. 22. The government’s decision comes after advisers of US President Donald Trump sent letters to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asking him not to take any unilateral decisions before meeting with Trump, Haaretz reported Jan. 22. The two leaders are scheduled to meet Feb. 15.
Ma’ale Adumim, one of the largest settlements in the West Bank, was erected in 1979 on a total area of 48 acres of land in the towns of Bethany and Abu Dis, east of Jerusalem. It is separated from the city of Jerusalem by 12 square kilometers (about 4.5 square miles) of land, known as the E1 zone and classified by Israel as state land that is part of Area C under the administrative control of Israel.
In 2005, Israel had halted construction in the E1 zone because of international criticism, but it still plans to build neighborhoods for settlers in this area in the future and annex it to Jerusalem.
If Israel were to annex Ma'ale Adumim, it would put a bullet in the establishment of the State of Palestine. According to Khalil Tafakji, the director of the maps and survey department at the Arab Studies Society in Jerusalem, the annexation would achieve strategic goals for Israel and prevent the establishment of the Palestinian state.
AL-MONITOR All-Access gives you unlimited access to all our journalism, the full Daily Briefing, exclusive interviews, premium newsletters, and live events — for less than $2/week.
