The Mirkam Hachayim (Texture of Life) road is finally going to be built, cutting through the Jerusalem envelope, designed to establish territorial continuity between Ma’ale Adumim and Jerusalem. This project will disrupt the Palestinian Authority’s efforts to take control of the area, including the attempted takeover of Khan al-Ahmar, which seeks to divide Israeli territories and create a contiguous PA-owned territory.
Nearly two decades ago, after access routes to a road used by PA Arabs were blocked and restrictions were placed on their use of the road, the Arab residents of the area filed a petition with the High Court of Justice. They argued that the blockages and restrictions were illegal, particularly since part of the road had been paved on land expropriated with the promise that it would be used by local residents.
In response, the state argued that opening the road would pose a serious security risk to Israeli citizens, submitting an affidavit from the commander of the IDF Central Command who stated that “Route 443 is a central and strategic target preferred by terrorist organizations.”
In March 2008, the High Court delayed further proceedings for six months to allow time to assess alternative routes being developed for PA Arab use and to create arrangements for their limited access to Route 443. By December 2008, the “Texture of Life Axis” had been opened, connecting Palestinian villages in the Modi’in area with Ramallah.
Now, after decades of efforts to advance the paving of the third part of the project, the Political-Security Cabinet approved it Saturday night and allocated a budget of NIS 335 million ($92 million) from the “Civil Administration’s Extra-Budgetary Fund”—collected from PA Arabs and intended for their use.
The new road will connect Al-Izriya and La-Za’im via an underground tunnel, allowing Arabs from Judea and Samaria to travel from north to south without passing through Israeli roads. This is a positive development for them, as it will provide uninterrupted travel and significantly improve traffic flow. As a result, Highway 1 will be reserved exclusively for Israeli use, easing traffic congestion and improving security, making it easier to protect Israeli travelers from potential attacks.
Beit El Council Chairman Shai Alon said, “This is the first move we see in action, beyond words, when the clear goal is to apply sovereignty to all of Judea and Samaria. After many years of injustice, the time has come for us to see all of E1 areas built up with extensive Jewish construction.”
The expansion of Khan al-Ahmar in recent years underscores growing concerns over the enforcement of legal decisions and the broader implications for strategic control in this sensitive region. As has been the case for decades, Khan al-Ahmar represents an existential battleground between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Located at the narrowest point of the peanut-shaped “west bank,” Khan al-Ahmar dominates the E1 corridor, which in turn dominates the future of a Palestinian State.
If Israel succeeds in evacuating the squatters from Khan al-Ahmar, it could finally go about constructing a sprawling suburb of Jerusalem, connecting the capital with the Maale Adumim settlements complex. As a result, all hope for a contiguous Palestinian State would vanish.
On the other hand, should Khan al-Ahmar remain intact, the narrow hips of the “West Bank” would remain Arab, making the future Palestinian State a reality.
