clinic and places of work and worship.139 Besides, the people of Beit Safafa, will not be able to utilize, or benefit from the highway because there is no direct access to it from the village. Moreover, under Israeli planning law, no construction is permitted within 150 meters from both sides of this highway.140 Given that many locals were unaware of the plans, this means that tens of homes are now effectively rendered illegal under Israeli planning law and thus risk being demolished at any time. Likewise, no permits will be available in the future for their renovation or extension. Although alternatives for Road no. 4, such as a tunnel, were proposed by the residents of Beit Safafa and the corresponding costs were calculated by engineers and lawyers, Jerusalem Municipality refused to change the plan claiming that they did not object the highway in time. This reasoning was based on the local outline plan 2371 approved in 1991.141 The people of Beit Safafa, pointed to the fact that the plan was outdated and did not have a valid planning document for the construction of this particular highway. Yet, the Jerusalem District Court ruled that the plan was legitimate and the construction could start. The case was taken to the Israeli High Court which, on the 26 January 2014, then approved the completion of the road under the same reasoning as the Jerusalem District Court.142 The construction of the highway started in September 2012, without awaiting the decision of the High Court and even though the former UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, among others, had called for an immediate halt.143 The road is planned to be an extension of the Begin Highway, the western Jerusalem ring road that expedites travel between North and South Jerusalem.144 The section of the highway under construction in Beit Safafa would close the gap between the Begin Highway and Road 60 contributing to an improved network of roads serving the ‘Greater Jerusalem’.145 Yet, the impact of building this road on the village of Beit Safafa is out of proportion as no sustainable development is provided for its residents. As the road serves to ease the living circumstances of Jewish-Israeli citizens only, it blocks the development of Palestinian villages and isolates them entirely. These unbearable living condition, however, function as triggers to push Palestinians out of the city. 139 OHCHR, Israel: UN Expert Warns against Israel’s Plans for a Six-Lane Settlement Highway in East Jerusalem. 140 Stop the Wall, “Stop Israeli Illegal Settlement Highway in Jerusalem.” 141 Alaa Salman, resident of Beit Safafa. Interview, 3 November 2014. 142 Stop the Wall, “Stop Israeli Illegal Settlement Highway in Jerusalem.” 143 OHCHR, Israel: UN Expert Warns against Israel’s Plans for a Six-Lane Settlement Highway in East Jerusalem. 144 The Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem, Urban Planning in Jerusalem. 145 Ibid. 44