Jabal al-baba: The Bedouin community in Jabal al-Baba, southeast of Jerusalem, is facing the threat of forced displacement following the approval by Israeli occupation authorities of the E1 colonial plan. This plan puts approximately 450 residents, who have lived in the area since their displacement in 1948, at risk of losing their homes.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the community has already endured over 80 home demolitions over the years, along with repeated attacks by colonists and the occupation army. Demolition orders have been issued for every home in the community. The threat of displacement is not limited to Jabal al-Baba; more than 7,000 Bedouin residents across 22 communities in the area face similar risks due to the E1 colonial plan.
Last month, Bezalel Smotrich, the Minister of Finance in the Israeli occupation government, announced the approval of thousands of colonial units within the E1 area, located east of Jerusalem. This development poses significant challenges to the establishment of a Palestinian state, as it threatens the geographical and demographic unity of the region and contributes to the division of the West Bank into isolated areas.
The implementation of the E1 construction plan is expected to have far-reaching consequences for citizens throughout the West Bank. Jerusalem's proximity to the narrowest area of the West Bank, which is only 28 kilometers wide, means that construction in the E1 area would further constrict the corridor connecting the southern and northern parts of the West Bank. This fragmentation would complicate efforts to establish a Palestinian state with geographical continuity.
