While Israel continues to bluff with vein threats to resume construction in the E1 area, the PA (Palestinian Authority) is busy moving forward with its illegal construction.

E1 is the area between Maale Adumim and Yerushalayim which would provide land contiguity between the capital and Maale Adumim if developed as planned. Alternatively, the PA is tenacious in its objections as it plans to construct a highway in that area that would connect to PA areas in Judea, providing a gateway to the autonomous areas in Shomron.

Amid increasing American pressure Israel backed down once again and is not moving ahead with construction in that area. However the Regavim organization documents hundreds of structures have already been set into place around Maale Adumim as the PA quietly works to establish facts on the ground, to prevent the city of Maale Adumim from expanding.

Despite bold statements and photo ops, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is not doing anything. Not only is Israel not building, the government is not preventing the PA from placing structures in the area which will one day be an impediment to Maale Adumim’s expansion. No one can deny Mr. Netanyahu’s oratory skills but that is where it ends, all talk and no action other than enforcing another US orchestrated construction freeze.

Regavim has turned to the Netanyahu administration a number of times but has not received a response. Unfortunately, if permitted to continue, the PA will have succeeded in placing a stranglehold on Maale Adumim for if the city tries to expand the PA will turn to the international community and accuse Israel of evicting hundreds of families from their homes.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem / Photos: Regavim)