Authorities in Israel have initiated the construction of
a tunnel through the West Bank, a move interpreted by Palestinian leaders as an
effort to systematically exclude Palestinians from Jerusalem. International and
regional voices express concern over the intensification of alleged
apartheid-like strategies.
The Israeli government’s most recent infrastructure
venture—a tunnel project cutting through the West Bank and connecting Israeli
settlements to West Jerusalem—has triggered an outcry across diplomatic,
humanitarian, and local spheres. Palestinian leaders and human rights groups
warn that this development will dramatically alter the city's demographic
landscape and further isolate Palestinian communities.
Overview of the Plan
According to investigative coverage by Geo News reporters on 10 July 2025, the newly authorised tunnel will run beneath several Palestinian neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, directly linking established Israeli settlements with West Jerusalem. Israeli officials, under the direction of the Ministry of Transport and bolstered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration, claim that the infrastructure is intended to
"ease traffic congestion and provide efficient passage"
to Jewish residents in the area.
In a statement by Ministry spokesperson Amos Ben-David, as quoted in the Geo News 7 AM Headlines,
"the tunnel connects vital communities and is part of Israel's commitment to modernising the country's transport network for all lawful residents".
Palestinian Response
As reported by Geo News, Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, a prominent member of the Palestinian National Initiative, responded strongly:
"This project is a blatant attempt to isolate Palestinian populations, erode their historic claim on Jerusalem, and cement apartheid on the ground. A tunnel that purposely avoids Palestinian communities is not a neutral infrastructure development—it's demographic engineering at its core".
Rhetoric from Regional Voices
On 12 July 2025, DAWN newspaper highlighted the growing regional unease, linking the tunnel’s construction to wider concerns about
“worsening political instability [that] could provide more space to terrorist groups operating from inside the province and across the border”.
As further observed by the European Federation of
Journalists and summarised by Gretel Kahn of Reuters Institute, Israel’s
infrastructure expansions in contested areas have repeatedly been categorised
by critics as steps toward "entrenching an apartheid regime,"
referencing the international definition of systematic segregation and
discrimination based on ethnicity or nationality.
Legal and Human Rights Perspectives
From an objective standpoint, the terminology
"apartheid" as used by Israeli and international rights groups,
including B’Tselem and Human Rights Watch, refers to policies that deliberately
favour one demographic while suppressing the identity and rights of another.
The tunnel, as depicted in recent Geo News coverage, bypasses Palestinian
residential and business districts, offering no new public transport options or
direct benefits to Palestinian residents.
Diplomatic Objections and Regional Impact
International response has been swift, with condemnation from several European Union states and the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. As reported by France 24 and highlighted by Gretel Kahn forthe Reuters Institute,
"Embassies in the region operate on heightened alert due to the perception that projects like these will incite unrest and encourage further polarisation".
A senior EU diplomat, quoted in the Hot Topics report, stated:
“Developments such as these jeopardise prospects for a two-state solution and undermine the fragile status quo in Jerusalem. Infrastructure should not be wielded as a tool of division, but rather as an opportunity for connection and coexistence”.
Changing the Demographic Footprint
Commenting on implications for residents, as detailed in Geo News analysis, Palestinian business owner Karim Abu Saada noted,
"We are being walled out from our holy city, step by step. The tunnel literally runs under our feet but is not for us. This is erasure by concrete and steel".
Community advocate Sama Issawi, as interviewed by Geo News, added:
“Every new bypass road or tunnel is another line drawn to separate, to make Palestinians invisible in their own land.”
Potential for Increased Conflict
As Dawn reported in recent coverage of regional instability,
such political and demographic impositions risk inflaming tensions and, in
turn, creating openings for extremist groups to exploit community grievances.
Statements by Government Representatives
In an official press conference covered by Geo News, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected accusations of apartheid, stating,
"Israel is investing in its future and uniting Jerusalem as the eternal capital of the Jewish people. Our infrastructure is for everyone, but we cannot allow violence and unrest to dictate where and how Israelis travel in their own land".
Minister of Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, interviewed by Haaretz on 10 July, asserted,
"Our responsibility is to safeguard Israeli lives and livelihoods first. These projects are legal, and anyone suggesting otherwise is misrepresenting facts for political gain."
Security Rationale
Geo News described government sources citing security as a central rationale. Senior official Eli Cohen explained,
"At a time of growing threats, providing secure routes between Israeli communities is essential. The tunnel is designed with national security in mind, not to exclude Palestinians but to protect Israeli civilians in a complex environment".
Ongoing Fragmentation
As written by Gretel Kahn of the Reuters Institute, infrastructure initiatives are splitting Palestinian lands
"challenge the logic and territorial contiguity of any future Palestinian state".
Experts interviewed in the Digital News Report podcast, including Nic Newman and Richard Fletcher, discussed the project.
“a microcosm of wider strategies that risk locking both communities into cycles of distrust and separation”.
Human rights observers underscore that every new highway,
tunnel, or overpass through disputed territory diminishes the practical
likelihood of a negotiated peace.
Economic Impact
Geo News coverage included analysis from economist Dr. Lina Mahfouz, who remarked,
"The isolation of Palestinian communities not only suppresses mobility and commerce today but leaves a legacy of underdevelopment that will last decades, unless inclusivity prevails in future planning".
Palestinian Voices
Geo News journalists reported poignant testimonies from Palestinian Jerusalemites. Heba Zeitoun, a local university student, expressed:
“The tunnel is a daily reminder that we are not seen, not included, and not welcome. It limits access to our city and our future.”
Israeli Public Opinion
Hot Topics research suggests that while many Israeli
citizens see the tunnel as a necessary response to population growth and
persistent security threats, a minority remain concerned about the ethical and
diplomatic consequences of deepening physical and social divides.
Prospects for Reversal or Redress
Reporting from the Reuters Institute notes ongoing
international diplomatic efforts to halt further construction and pressure the
Israeli government towards greater inclusivity in urban planning. However,
legal and procedural obstacles remain formidable.
Geo News summarised the mood across Jerusalem:
“For many families, the tunnel carves out not just a road but a future of uncertainty, separation, and fear.”
As this tunnel project progresses, the city of Jerusalem
stands at a crossroads: the path of engineered separation or the road to shared
space. The coming months will reveal whether voices of caution, protest, or
compromise will ultimately shape the fate of the city’s Palestinian population
and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict.