The “American Street” is a strategic circular road and is considered one of the most prominent settlement road construction projects in the city of Jerusalem. It is part of the “Eastern Ring” plan, which is the largest settlement Judaization plan that aims to connect the Israeli settlements located north, south and east of Jerusalem with each other. The occupation began planning and developing it in 1968.

It extends over a length of (12 km) with a width and setback of up to (70) meters.

The “Eastern Ring” plan is based on an earlier British plan, but has undergone many changes and modifications and forms the “American Street.”


The most important and largest central sections within this plan

The American Street project is being supervised by the Moriah Jerusalem Development Company, which is affiliated with the occupation municipality in partnership with the Israeli Ministry of Transportation. The cost of constructing the settlement street exceeds $250 million.

The first phase of the “American Street” construction process actually began in 2016, extending from the Mazmuria checkpoint southeast of Jerusalem, passing through the lands of the villages of Sur Baher and Umm Tuba, and ending in the Sheikh Saad area.

The second phase involves constructing the middle section of the settlement road, extending from the Sheikh Saad area, to a tunnel that passes through the interior of the mountain, and ends in the Ein Al-Lawza neighborhood in the center of Silwan, thus penetrating the lands of the town of Jabal al-Mukaber.

The third phase is supposed to include the northern and final section of the settlement road, which extends through a tunnel dug under the Mount of Olives east of the Old City of Jerusalem, and ends at the Zaim military checkpoint to the north.

The dangers of the settlement street:

  • The project devours about 1,270 dunums of Jerusalemites’ lands in the various neighborhoods it passes through {Sur Baher, Umm Lissoun, Jabal Mukaber, Silwan, At-Tur} and threatens to displace the residents of those lands.
  • It eliminates the main streets that connect the Palestinian neighborhoods in Jerusalem, making each neighborhood isolated.
  • Jerusalemites find it difficult to access various service centers and agricultural lands are isolated from their owners.
  • It facilitates the movement of settlers and army forces around Jerusalem.

The goals of the settlement street:

  • Separating Palestinian neighborhoods from each other and imposing security control over them.
  • It establishes the largest settlement project known as “Greater Jerusalem.”
  • It ensures that the Israeli settlements around Jerusalem are connected to each other and organized into huge blocs.
  • Limiting population growth and Palestinian urban expansion in Jerusalem.