The separation barrier divides Baqa al-Gharbiyye (within Israel) from Baqa al-Sharqiyya (beyond the border), leading to disparate urban development—growth in the former and stagnation in the latter.
While urban planners cannot control political or physical borders, we can propose interventions to address this division:
Preserving the Barrier – Revitalizing neglected areas and rehabilitating the deteriorating urban fabric.
Removing the Barrier – Establishing an integrated framework to reconnect the two cities and restore their historical and social ties.
This analysis underscores the role of urban planning in mitigating spatial fragmentation and fostering sustainable, inclusive development in divided cities.