Dozens of activists reached the former IDF base located in Shdema on Friday morning. Land of Israel activists say they will build a Jewish city at the site, which is strategically located between the Har Homa neighborhood of Jerusalem and the Jewish towns of Nokdim and Tekoa in the eastern part of the Gush Etzion bloc.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s government has agreed to allow the Palestinian Authority to build an Arab city at the site, despite IDF concerns that the city would endanger Jewish motorists traveling to and from Jerusalem. Activists said they would defy the government’s plans in order to protect motorists and as a protest against the government’s policy of building new cities for Arab residents of Judea and Samaria while freezing construction in Jewish towns.

MK David Rotem of Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) attended Friday’s rally. A handful of leftist protestors were present as well.