Jerusalem: The Governorate of Jerusalem has announced that the recent laying of the foundation stone for the 'Heritage Center' at the historic site of Jerusalem International Airport in Qalandiya, north of occupied Jerusalem, marks a significant escalation in settlement expansion. This development is seen as a clear violation of international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, including UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which explicitly declares Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, as illegal.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency, the governorate emphasized that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's actions signify a transition from planning to the imposition of new realities on the ground. This move is perceived as part of a consistent strategy aimed at altering the geographical and historical identity of Jerusalem. The project is believed to target one of the most notable Palestinian sovereign landmarks, converting it into a facility that reinforces the Israeli narrative, thereby solidifying an unlawful annexation project.
The governorate also highlighted that this initiative is part of a series of decisions made by the Israeli government on May 17, in conjunction with 'Jerusalem Day.' These decisions aim to expand settlement activities in the city, including transforming the former Jerusalem International Airport into a cultural and ideological hub that recasts the site's history from an Israeli perspective.
Furthermore, the governorate warned that the project extends beyond mere reuse of the site, reaching into the reengineering of historical memory by promoting narratives associated with 'settlement history' and linking the location to Israeli political and military figures. This effort is seen as an attempt to erase Palestinian and Arab historical connections to the airport as a symbol of Palestinian sovereignty.
The statement also noted that the project aligns with broader settlement expansions in northern Jerusalem, such as plans for a waste treatment facility on Qalandiya lands, the confiscation of extensive areas, and the displacement or isolation of Palestinian families. This includes the expansion of the Atarot settlement project, which aims to establish thousands of housing units.
The governorate articulated that these measures form part of an integrated strategy to reshape Jerusalem's geography by connecting settlement blocs, thereby fragmenting Palestinian geographic continuity, particularly in the northern parts of the city. It emphasized that Israeli policies seek to undermine Palestinian sovereign symbols, especially the Jerusalem International Airport, replacing them with settlement initiatives that support the 'Greater Jerusalem' plan.
Finally, the governorate warned that these activities are part of a larger political agenda aimed at creating irreversible conditions on the ground through settlement expansion, land confiscation, and demographic changes. This undermines the feasibility of an independent and contiguous Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. It urged the international community to take immediate and effective measures to halt these policies, stressing that their continuation violates international humanitarian law, the Fourth Geneva Convention, and relevant UN resolutions. The governorate argued that international inaction essentially allows the occupation to persist in altering the identity of occupied Jerusalem.