OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), Israeli authorities are planning a new settlement project to build 122 housing units for Jewish settlers in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, north of Occupied Jerusalem. The project targets the site of the historic Shepherd Hotel, covering approximately 5.8 dunums (1.4 acres), in a move that would expand Israeli settlements and alter the neighborhood’s Palestinian character.
The project, designated Plan No. 1602689, includes the construction of residential buildings up to 12 stories high. According to available planning documents, the proposal, which remains in its preliminary stages, is scheduled to be presented for the first time to Occupied Jerusalem’s Local Planning and Building Committee on November 11, 2026.
The project is being promoted by Amana, one of the most prominent settlement organizations involved in establishing Israeli settlements and settlement outposts in the West Bank. The organization is headed by Ze’ev Hever, commonly known as “Zambish.”
The historic Shepherd Hotel originally belonged to the Palestinian al-Husseini family before Israeli occupation authorities seized it under the so-called Absentees’ Property Law. Ownership was subsequently transferred to settlement organizations, including Ateret Cohanim.
A residential settlement complex containing dozens of housing units was previously built next to the hotel. The units have remained unoccupied since their construction.
The new plan calls for demolishing the existing residential buildings to make way for the larger development while preserving the historic hotel building, which is associated with Occupied Jerusalem’s former grand mufti.
The proposal follows measures taken in recent years to settle and register land ownership at the site. Under these procedures, some portions of the land were registered in the name of the Custodian of Absentee Property, while others were registered to a foreign company believed to have ties to settlement organizations.
The move is part of ongoing efforts to seize Palestinian properties in Sheikh Jarrah, where residents face the threat of forced eviction and home confiscation.
These efforts seek to change the neighborhood’s geographic and demographic character while strengthening the Israeli settlement presence around the Old City of Occupied Jerusalem.
Israel eases restrictions on connecting settlement outposts to water and electricity
In a related development, the Israeli military approved an amendment to planning and building regulations in the West Bank, allowing structures built without permits in settlement outposts to be connected to water and electricity networks even before the plans required to legalize them have been approved.
The commander of the Israeli military’s Central Command signed the amendment on September 23, 2026, allowing unauthorized buildings to receive essential services before the completion of planning and approval procedures. The amendment provides settlement outposts with additional advantages that help consolidate and expand their presence on the ground.
Meanwhile, Palestinians continue to face severe restrictions on construction and urban planning, along with demolition notices and land confiscations, further widening the disparity between Palestinians and Jewish settlers in access to building permits and essential services.
Together, these measures reflect an ongoing effort to expand Israeli settlements across Occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank through the construction of new housing units and the provision of infrastructure to settlement outposts.
Such policies strengthen Israeli control over Palestinian land and threaten the continued Palestinian presence in these areas.
