The Arab Center for Alternative Planning (ACAP) recently revealed that a plan to expand Highway 6 in the North will result in the confiscation of lands from the Arab town of Abtun, in addition to the threat of demolition of many homes in the town.
The proposed plan (TAMA 31/A/3) would result in confiscation of 169 dunams of privately owned land belonging to Arab citizens. In addition, as a result of the plan, an additional 150 dunams, belonging to Abtun’s jurisdiction area, would be restricted and unavailable for development. Thus, a total of at least 320 dunams of land belonging to Abtun would be confiscated in order to construct the highway.
Houses Under Threat of Demolition
In addition to the confiscated land, ACAP also revealed that at least four houses in Abtun would be demolished as a result of the construction of Highway 6, since these houses lie in the highway’s path of construction. At the same time, the highway would result in the isolation of at least 10 houses from the rest of the village, which would increase the likeliness that the authorities intent to demolish these houses in the future.
ACAP noted that the proposed plan would result in the isolation of Abtun between two main highways, which would severely hinder the possibility of the town’s expansion and development in the future. ACAP stressed that the National Council for Planning and Building should have adopted an alternative plan to expand Highway 6, which would be on the same path of the existing Road 70 and would be linked later to Meggido Junction. This alternative would protect the land and reduce environmental damage to open areas.
It is important to note that during a session of the National Council for Planning and Building, these alternatives were presented in addition to another alternative to construct the highway as part of the development of a long tunnel, which would reduce environmental harm and pollution exposure of Abtun’s citizen’s by 95%. This alternative was presented and supported by the Ministry of Environment. Despite these recommendations and better alternatives, the National Council for Planning and Building decided to support the worst alternative for the people of Abtun and the most damaging plan to the environment.
Submission of Objections to ACAP:
ACAP requests and urges the residents of Abtun to approach the organization in order to file legal objections to this plan.