The Defense Ministry have issued an order to halt to construction of the partition barrier in the area known as Shar Mizrach, an area that is crucial towards maintaining land contiguity between Maale Adumim and Jerusalem. A number of weeks ago, ahead of the expected court decision on the controversial barrier route, heavy equipment appeared in the area, apparently in preparation for construction.

According to Jewish land owners who oppose the partition, the barrier would leave them outside of the fence, on the “PA side”, prompting them to petition the courts.

MK (Kadima) Otniel Schneller decried the construction at this time, stating it is quite possible the court will order the removal, as was seen many times in the past, decrying the waste of public funds.

The area between Maale Adumim and the capital has been the subject of heated dispute between Israel and the PA (Palestinian Authority), with the international community backing the PA’s interests, seeking to stop the so-called E1 project, which seeks to create land contiguity from Maale Adumim to Jerusalem, permitting the long overdue expansion of Maale Adumim.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)