The story of the Ma’ale Adumim area May 2009 Shaul Arieli 1

The Plan and the Rationale In recent years, the Israeli plan for the Ma’ale Adumim area is being materialized. The plan was conceived in the days of PM Sharon, as part of the approach of unilateral reality shaping. Its main tenets include: . Building of the Separation Barrier on a route that enables annexation of significant areas of the West Bank to Israel. Building of separate roads systems for Israelis and Palestinians so as to create a new Palestinian life fabric, to be excluded from the Israeli space. Strengthening and enlargement of Israeli settlements.

The official negotiations conducted by Israel with the PLO (which became, once again, “a partner”) revealed the possible realm of understanding on the territorial issue. Despite this fact, Israel continued in materializing Sharon’s unilateralist plan. This presentation demonstrates the enormous investment in transportation and settlement in the space between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim. This investment assumes that united Jerusalem shall forever remain under Israeli control, and the Ma’ale Adumim area, amounting to 1.2% of the West Bank, will be annexed to Israel. This assumption is flawed in light of the Palestinian willingness to a territorial exchange of only 2% in a permanent status agreement, and in light of their regard of east Jerusalem as their future Capital. Therefore, one of the two must be true: either the Israeli government intentionally undermines the chances to reach a permanent status agreement, or it knowingly wastes Israeli tax payers’ money instead of investing it in areas that cry out for funding (education, healthcare, infrastructure etc.).

The situation today: 4 1 3 Ma’ale Adumim 2 The barrier is not built Palestinians drive outside Jerusalem on roads marked red & yellow. Israelis drive on roads marked red & blue. The separation road is not in use. Jerusalem

(follow the yellow track) (existing) A-Za’ayyem interchange: a separation system between Israeli and Palestinian traffic with 13 possibilities (follow the yellow track) A-Za’ayyem United Jerusalem A-Za’ayyem passage

From French Hill to Ma’ale Adumim Israelis From French Hill to Ma’ale Adumim

From Mount Scopus to Ma’ale Adumim Israelis From Mount Scopus to Ma’ale Adumim

From French Hill to A-Tur Israelis From French Hill to A-Tur

From French Hill to A-Za’ayyem Israelis From French Hill to A-Za’ayyem

From A-Tur to Ma’ale Adumim Israelis From A-Tur to Ma’ale Adumim

From A-Tur to A-Za’ayyem Israelis From A-Tur to A-Za’ayyem

From A-Za’ayyem to Jerusalem Israelis From A-Za’ayyem to Jerusalem 12

Israelis and Palestinians From A-Za’ayyem to Ma’ale Adumim & Abu Dis 13

From Mount Scopus to French Hill Israelis From Mount Scopus to French Hill 14

From Mount Scopus to A-Tur Israelis From Mount Scopus to A-Tur 15

Israelis and Palestinians From Ma’ale Adumim and Abu Dis to A-Za’ayyem 16

From Ma’ale Adumim to French Hill Israelis From Ma’ale Adumim to French Hill 17

From Ma’ale Adumim to Mount Scopus Israelis From Ma’ale Adumim to Mount Scopus 18

What’s in the future plan? 19

Main tenets (see map): Completion of the barrier Building of “Mevaseret Adumim” Building the “cross Azariya” road for Palestinians Building of “Ma’ale Adumim bypass” road for Palestinians Opening of the already built “separation road” Removal of A-Za’ayyem checkpoint Opening of the “Olives passage” for passage by permitted Palestinians Turning of Road 1 and its extensions into an Israeli only road

(3) (4) Building the barrier (1) Israelis only road (existing) (8) “separation road” (built) (5) Building E1 (2) “Olives passage” for Palestinians (7) Palestinians only road (planned) (3) Removal of A-Za’ayyem passage (6) (4)

And let us not say that we did not know what was done, and where the money goes… The End