New Settlement Plan in Sheikh Jarrah Targets 122 Units

A new settlement plan, designated number 1602689, aims to develop approximately 5.8 dunams in the northeastern part of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem. The plan, still in its early stages and not yet presented to the local planning and building committee, is scheduled for an initial discussion on November 11, 2026. The Amana movement, which focuses on establishing settlements in the West Bank and receives government funding, is behind the project. Ze'ev Hever, known as 'Zambish' and the head of Amana, was noted by the Ir Amim association to have been a member of a secret Jewish organization involved in attacks against Palestinians in the 1980s.

The plan involves demolishing existing residential buildings to make way for the new construction, while preserving the historic Shepherd Hotel building. The site of the Shepherd Hotel, according to Ir Amim, was owned by the Palestinian Al-Husseini family before being confiscated by Israeli authorities under the Absentee Property Law and subsequently transferred to settlement-related entities, including the Ateret Cohanim organization. Ateret Cohanim previously built a residential complex adjacent to the hotel, containing dozens of units that have remained vacant.

Recent years have seen developments in land registration and settlement at the site, with parts registered to the Absentee Property Custodian and others to a foreign company believed to be linked to Ateret Cohanim. It remains unclear how Amana assumed responsibility for the project's development or if ownership rights were transferred. Researcher Aviv Tatersky stated that this plan is part of a broader Israeli government initiative, involving the Ministry of Construction and Housing and the Jerusalem Development Authority, to build thousands of housing units for settlers, rather than addressing the housing needs of Palestinians in the neighborhood. Tatersky suggested that the multiplicity of projects and involved parties reflects an effort to alter the Palestinian character of Sheikh Jarrah, following the neighborhood's residents' successful resistance to eviction attempts.

In a related development, the Israeli military approved an amendment to the building and planning regulations in the West Bank on September 23, 2026. This amendment allows buildings constructed without permits in settlement outposts to be connected to water and electricity networks before their plans are legalized. The organization Bimkom - Planners for Human Rights criticized this move as a further step in solidifying settlement outposts and deepening discrimination against Palestinians in the West Bank.