RAMALLAH — Extremist Jewish settlers are planning are planning a mass action in the controversial E1 corridor to the east of occupied Jerusalem in response to Palestinians' moves in the area. The rightist Israeli channel 7 television said that some 1,000 Jewish activists are expected to take part in the plan, and that it will go into effect in the near future. The report quoted the activist Daniella Weiss as saying that there are many Jewish families prepared to live in the E1 area even before homes are built. She added that the presence of the families would deter Palestinian efforts to claim E1 through settlement activity of their own. In January, Palestinian activists set up Bab Al-Shams (Gate of the Sun) tent village in the E1 in protest of Israeli settlement construction plans in the area. E-1 is short for “East 1,” the administrative name given to the stretch of 12,000 dunam northeast of Jerusalem, to the west of Ma'aleh Adumim. For years, Israel has sought to develop E-1 in order to strengthen its hold on Ma'aleh Adumim, which is one of the largest settlements in the Palestinian territories (about 30,000 settlers), and one that all Israeli governments have said they want to keep under any future agreement with the Palestinians. Weiss was quoted as saying that the plan has support from politicians, rabbis and other community leader. She said she expects support from the government as well. “The current government has demonstrated great sympathy to the idea of the land of Israel,” she explained. She added that Maaleh Adumim Mayor Benny Kashriel supports the plan. “(E1) is a neighborhood that is part of Maaleh Adumim, and that is planned to be the site of thousands of housing units,” she explained. “It's true that the United States, Europe and the Arabs oppose this connection (through settlement) between Jerusalem and Maaleh Adumim,” Weiss said.
“That's why we thought someone needs to take the lead,” he said.
