Israel Begins to Change Jerusalem International Airport into a Settlement

Jerusalem, MINA – The Israel District Planning and Building Committee in Jerusalem recently decided to build 9,000 residential units in Atarot, which would eliminate the remains of the Jerusalem International Airport built in 1924, The New Khalij reported on Wednesday.

Head of Maps in the Society for Arab Studies Khalil Tafakji confirmed that Israel plans to build completely new settlements, mostly located on land at Jerusalem International Airport, MEMO reported.

The airport is known by Palestinians as Qalandia Airport and by Israel as Atarot Airport.

According to Tafakji, the airport received flights up to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in 1967.

Later, Israel used it for internal flights and completely shut down in 2000.

On Sunday, Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that the Israel District Planning and Construction Committee in Jerusalem had approved the construction of 9,000 new settlement units in the Atarot settlement.

It suggests that this plan was deliberately accelerated before the US President-elect Joe Biden took office in January. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)