Naftali Bennett
Naftali BennettEsty Dazyubov, TPS

Defense Minister Naftali Bennett (Yamina) on Monday approved the "Sovereignty Road" project - a route that will connect the Arab village of Azzim, near Maaleh Adumim, with the Arab villages on the other side of the area (Anata, Hizma and Ram).

This is a separate road for Arabs in Area E1, which aims to separate the transport continuum between the Palestinian Arab and Israeli population in the area, allowing Arab vehicles to move without crossing inside the Ma'aleh Adum bloc, near Jewish communities.

On the political level, the road will connect Jerusalem and Maaleh Adumim and enable construction of Jewish settlement in Area E1. On the transport level, the road will ease traffic congestion, adding to improved quality of life for Maaleh Adumim residents and the surrounding area.

The project, which the Defense Ministry has been working on for a decade but which was not approved until Monday, will be undertaken with the cooperation of the Transportation Ministry, which will be charged with its construction.

"We are giving a green light to the Sovereignty Road today, and starting a process which will connect Jerusalem to Maaleh Adumim," Bennett said. "The project will improve the lives of the area's residents, prevent unnecessary conflict with the Palestinian population, and most importantly, will allow the continuation of the building of the settlements. [We're] applying sovereignty in deeds, not in words. We're going to continue doing that."

Peace Now responded: "The purpose of this road is only one thing: To torpedo the two-state solution. When a temporary Defense Minister in a government which does will not continue approves a plan like this, he is essentially spitting in the faces of Israel's citizens, who are interested in peace and security, not in perpetuating the conflict."

"This process joins the many things that Bennett has advanced, such as expanding the settlements in Hevron, and it's time Bennett ceased his wild behavior and remember that he has been entrusted with preserving Israel's security, and not with preserving the vision of a complete Israel at the expense of security.