Maaleh Adumim

The "Contiguity" Double Standard

After Israel approved building a new neighborhood in Ma'aleh Adumim, a few miles east of Jerusalem, many news reports indicated that such building is objectionable because it would prevent Palestinians from controlling "contiguous territory" in the West Bank, both cutting them off from Arab neighborhoods in eastern Jerusalem and bisecting the northern and southern areas of the West Bank. These charges – an extension of the accusation that Israel is trying to separate the Palestinians into "cantons" or "bantustans" – are false. Moreover, they demonstrate a double standard in that they advocate contiguity for Palestinians by cutting off contiguity for Israelis.

MYTH #173“Israel’s plan to link Jerusalem and Ma’aleh Adumim is meant to sabotage the peace process.”

In March 2005, Israel announced the intention to build 3,500 homes on a strip of territory that has been declared state land between the community of Ma'aleh Adumim and Jerusalem (Jerusalem Post, March 20, 2005). The decision immediately caused an uproar as Palestinian officials claimed it was “a kind of terror against the peace process and against the Palestinian people” and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice said it was at odds with U.S. policy (Jerusalem Post, March 28, 2005).

This is a good example of where it is important to understand not only the politics of the issue, but the geography.

Web Design surfgate7 - copyright: MRG ©2004