Jewish group to build 200 new housing units in East Jerusalem

[ProgressiveMuslim]

By Meron Rapoport, Haaretz Correspondent

Tags: palestinians, israel

The Yemin Yehuda non-profit association has begun building 200 housing units in the Shimon Hatzaddik compound, in the heart of East Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarra neighborhood. In the process, the organization intends to demolish the homes of dozens of Palestinian families who live there.

This neighborhood is in a strategic location: If Yemin Yehuda completes its plan, it will cut the Old City off from the Palestinian neighborhoods in northern Jerusalem.

MK Benny Elon (National Union-National Religious Party), who supports building the new neighborhood, says it is designed to create a Jewish continuum surrounding the Old City, where there currently is a massive Palestinian majority.
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Elon says this can be done by declaring open areas to be national parks and placing state property back-to-back with lands under Jewish ownership.

"Building Jewish neighborhoods next to open areas will prevent invasion and illegal construction by Palestinians who live near the Old City," says Elon.

The new neighborhood is slated to cover 18 dunams next to the tomb of Shimon Hatzaddik. According to the plan submitted to the Jerusalem municipal planning commission, Palestinian buildings must be demolished to make room for 200 housing units.

The plan states that open areas will become residential, and that the construction density in the area will be increased to include five- and six-story buildings, which will require changing the Municipal Construction Plan.

Deputy Mayor Yehoshua Pollack, who heads the local commission, says he is not familiar with the new plan, but that he seeks to "advance any construction plan, be it by Jews or Arabs."

Pollack noted that contrary to reports that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had ordered a halt to construction in East Jerusalem, the municipality has not been informed of any such restrictions.


http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/949976.html

[ProgressiveMuslim]

1. Actions speak so much louder than words, don't they? nt

[JohnyCanuck]

2. "We take the land first and the law comes after."

"We take the land first and the law comes after." – Mr. Palmon, Arab affairs adviser to the Mayor of Jerusalem, quoted in The Guardian, 26 April 1972.

[bemildred]

3. Mr Olmert's word does not appear to have much effect. nt

[azurnoir]

4. Apparently Ehud forgot to tell them

"no new construction" he has so much on his mind these days, what with Winograd and all

Pollack noted that contrary to reports that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had ordered a halt to construction in East Jerusalem, the municipality has not been informed of any such restrictions.

and besides they're on making "National Parks":sarcasm:

[breakaleg]

5. Who can Israel seriously with anything they say? Words are cheap and they never seem to follow

follow through on them.