JERUSALEM, 25 January 2026 (WAFA) – The Jerusalem Governorate warned of a dangerous escalation in the pace of colonial projects around occupied Jerusalem, following the occupation municipality’s announcement that the Finance Committee will convene tomorrow to approve the budget for implementing Route 45, known as the “Quarries Road,” north of the city.

The governorate explained in a statement today, Sunday, that the new road will link the colonies north of the city and east of Ramallah with the colonial roads (443), (Atarot) and (Begin), and will be built on approximately 280 dunums of Jerusalem Governorate lands.

It noted that the budget also includes a substantial allocation for what the occupation authorities term the “development” of colonial Road 437, extending from Hizma checkpoint to Jaba roundabout and the start of Road 60, with a total exceeding half a billion shekels.

The Jerusalem Governorate affirmed that these projects are not merely infrastructure development, but are part of a comprehensive colonial strategy aimed at strengthening the colony network and imposing full control over Jerusalem and its surroundings.

It described the plan as an accelerated colonial expansion from planning to implementation, exploiting the current regional conditions, including the repercussions of the genocide war on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, to hasten the pace of colonial expansion and impose new facts on the ground.

It added that these policies aim to isolate Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings, turning Jerusalemite towns into fragmented and isolated islands, while facilitating the movement of colonists and encouraging them to settle in the colonies through a network of fast and secure roads.

The governorate indicated that the occupation relies on flimsy pretexts under the name of public benefit, while in reality it seizes large areas of Palestinian lands, in a blatant violation of international law and UN legitimacy resolutions.

The Jerusalem Governorate stressed that these steps represent the practical implementation of the so-called “Greater Jerusalem” plan according to the Israeli concept, annexing the colonies to the borders of the occupation municipality.

It affirmed that the occupation authorities continue to use all means to change the geography and Palestinian identity of the holy city, exploiting various regional conditions to accelerate the implementation of these plans, reflecting an escalation in violations and crimes against Jerusalem and its people.

T.R.