Jerusalem Neighborhood Residents Protest Settlement Plan

Residents of the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Umm Tuba, along with the organizations Bimkom and Ir Amim, have filed an objection to the "Novi Rachel" settlement plan. The plan proposes the construction of 650 housing units on approximately 27 dunams in Umm Tuba. The objection highlights several procedural flaws, most notably that the company behind the plan allegedly does not meet the legal ownership requirement. While the company claimed 90% ownership during the deposit hearing, an examination of land registry records by Bimkom and Ir Amim indicates they own only 65% of the planned area, falling short of the 66% minimum required by law. Furthermore, about 20% of the land's ownership is still disputed, and the Israel Land Authority claims ownership of about six dunams within the plan's boundaries.

The settlement plan also involves canceling a significant portion of an officially approved street, which objectors argue is crucial for Umm Tuba's development. This cancellation would prevent the approval of much-needed building plans for the Palestinian neighborhood, which already faces a severe housing shortage. The canceled street is part of a network intended to improve access to an existing area with around 300 residential buildings. Currently, residents access many homes in the area via a dangerous, steep, and damaged road.

Documents associated with the plan explicitly state that the complex is intended for marketing to Jewish residents, comparing it to the "Nof Tzion" project, described as a "Jewish neighborhood." The official explanations for the plan do not mention Umm Tuba, despite its location adjacent to the main entrance of the proposed settlement. Instead, the area is described as being "near the main entrance to Har Homa neighborhood," and another document falsely claims the existing area is undeveloped.

Bimkom and Ir Amim stated that the "Novi Rachel" plan exemplifies planning policy in East Jerusalem, where restrictions are stringent for Palestinian residents but become flexible for Israeli construction within Palestinian areas. They argue that Umm Tuba is an inhabited neighborhood with existing homes and needs, and that the planning institutions are pushing forward a separate complex at the expense of the neighborhood's development, using planning as a tool to displace Palestinian residents.