Israeli authorities started the construction of concrete barriers at the entrance of the Ras Khamis neighbourhood and Shu’fat refugee camp in East Jerusalem. Palestinian sources said that the Israeli authorities will erect a military crossing in the area to replace the existing one. They said the new concrete barrier is 12 meters high and 600 meters in length. The new military crossing will separate the Shu’fat refugee camp, Anata, and the neighbourhoods of Ras Khamis, Ras Shihadeh and Al-Salam from occupied East Jerusalem. Thousands of Jerusalemites are under the threat of losing their residency in Jerusalem since they are living in these areas. Israel captured East Jerusalem in 1967 war, annexed it, and has since built settlements there that are now home to more than 200,000 Israelis. Control over the city has been seen as the most sensitive and thorniest issue of Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinians hope to make East Jerusalem the capital of their future state but Israel says the city is its eternal capital. The development came days after the resumption of direct peace talks between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israel.
NEW WALL TO SEPARATE AREAS FROM EAST JERUSALEM
Israeli authorities started the construction of concrete barriers at the entrance of the Ras Khamis neighbourhood and Shu’fat refugee camp in East Jerusalem.
