Israeli settlement plan expands Gilo, deepening Jerusalem‑Bethlehem separation

Israeli authorities approved a new settlement plan for the Gilo neighbourhood on July 28, authorising the construction of about 2,300 housing units on roughly 200 dunams (20 hectares). The plan extends Gilo southward toward Highway 60, the main road linking East Jerusalem with Bethlehem, and is part of a broader push to enlarge settlements such as Givat Hamatos and Har Homa.

The plan incorporates at least 28 dunams of privately owned Palestinian land seized under Israel’s Absentee Property Law, including olive groves that could be uprooted. Researchers from the Israeli‑based Association Ayer Amim warn that the development will further isolate East Jerusalem from the southern West Bank, strengthening Israeli control over a strategically sensitive area.