On Friday 11th January, dozens of Palestinian activists from the Palestinian Popular Resistance stormed Area E1, which connects Jerusalem with Ma’ali Adumim settlement, and started to erect tents in preparation to start building a new Palestinian village under the name Bab As-Shams (Gate of the Sun).
Around 200 Palestinian and International activists raided the Area; some entered from Jerusalem and others from Ma’ali Adumim and set about 30 tents for now.
The activists told PNN that they raided the E1 Area in response to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s settlement plans that aim to destroy every chance of the two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian, independent state according to the UN recent decision that recognized the Palestinian state.
The activists said the Israeli settlement construction will not prevent the establishment of the Palestinian state and that they raided the E1 zone to prove that these lands, which Netanyahu plans to steal in order to build settlements on one hand and to win votes in the upcoming Israeli elections on the other hand, are Palestinian. Adding, they will stay steadfast in the area and will start to establish the Palestinian village despite all the Israeli attempts to prevent it.
Activists of the Palestinian Popular Resistance also said they started to set tents on these lands to resist any Israeli step to build settlements.
They expressed confidence and hope that the Palestinian people will support them and called the different institutions to begin setting investment plans to begin developing the project and build the Palestinian village.
