Tens of trucks and buses took part in a motorcade from Maale Adumim to Jerusalem as the city has stepped up efforts to persuade the government to annex the city into the State of Israel. At present, despite being home to tens of thousands, the city of Maale Adumim is viewed as being in the “occupied West Bank” by the international community.

Maale Adumim Mayor Benny Kashriel is calling on the current administration to follow the national consensus as well as the position taken by former Prime Ministers including Shimon Peres, Ariel Sharon and Ehud Barak. Despite the statements in the past, no administration has annexed Maale Adumim as was done with the Golan Heights.

MK (Likud) Yoav Kisch, who heads the Eretz Yisrael lobby in Knesset feels the time is now, calling on the cabinet to act to declare Maale Adumim an integral portion of the State of Israel.

Kashriel adds that 80% of the citizens of Israel believe this is the correct move and it is time for the cabinet to act on this national consensus in addition to ending the construction freeze in the city immediately.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)