Israel to advance plans for 9,000 houses in occupied East Jerusalem

Al JazeeraEN 2 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffDecember 17, 2025 at 11:02 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Israeli authorities are expected to advance plans for 9,000 new housing units in the Atarot settlement in occupied East Jerusalem. The plans, scheduled for discussion by the District Planning and Building Committee on Wednesday, involve building on the site of the abandoned Qalandiya airport. Peace Now reports that the settlement is planned within a densely populated Palestinian urban area, aiming to sever East Jerusalem from surrounding Palestinian areas. Critics argue that this project undermines the possibility of a contiguous Palestinian state by creating an Israeli enclave amidst hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. The far-right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is accused of seizing the moment to bury chances for a future of peace and compromise.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Peace Now ×240% Qalandiya airport 50% Palestine ×360% Atarot neighbourhood ×270% East Jerusalem ×480%

Keywords

israeli settlements 100% palestinian state 90% east jerusalem 80% qalandiya airport 70% land annexation 60% housing units 50% peace now 50% west bank 40%