IOA OPENS HIGHWAY TEARING SAFAFA COMMUNITY FROM LIMB TO LIMB

Jerusalem, 19 Jumadal Awaal 1436/10 March 2015 (MINA) – The Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) have opened part of a freeway connecting Israeli settlements in eastern and southern Occupied Jerusalem city.

The passageway dismembers the Beit Safafa village and separates between families of the same community, Palestinian Information Center (PIC) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

Observers warned of the serious repercussions of such a Judaization scheme and of Israeli intents to eliminate the Palestinian character and existence in Jerusalem’s neighborhoods.

The highway, which makes part of a Judaization bid implemented by the Israeli municipality in Jerusalem in coordination with the ministry of transportation, passes over two kms through the heart of Beit Safafa.

The bid aims at smoothing Israelis’ access out of and into Occupied Jerusalem and connecting the different tissues of Israel’s illegal settlements in northern and southern Jerusalem.

The implementation of the tender led to the confiscation of around 300 dunums of Beit Safafa private land tracts and 400 dunums of land lots in both sides of the street, along with hundreds of dunums previously confiscated in favor of illegal settlement expansion.

The highway not only disconnects the different parts of the village but isolates whole families and neighborhoods from each other and blocks all means of socio-cultural exchange between the Safafa community members.

The Israeli occupation authorities turned blind eyes to the distress signals launched by some 12,000 native inhabitants to minimize the socio-demographic threats implied by the bid. (T/P006/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)