Now, what is the Palestinian counter plan???
This is the first serious challenge for the newly
established Jerusalem Conference ...
By Meron Rapoport, Haaretz Correspondent
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.
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.
In 2004, Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski sought
Housing Ministry permission to build a Jewish
neighborhood adjacent to the Simon Hatzaddik
tomb, "in order to strengthen the connection
between the Jewish neighborhoods" in East
Jerusalem.
Currently, about 40 Palestinian families live in the area,
which is very close to the American Colony Hotel, one
of the most important centers of Palestinian and
international activity in East Jerusalem.
Meanwhile, the American Jewish millionaire Irving
Moskowitz already has purchased the nearby
Shepherd's Hotel, and wants to build several
dozen housing units there for Jews.
Furthermore, about two months ago, Haaretz
reported that the Israel Lands Administration
had leased the Ateret Cohanim organization a
large area known as Kerem Hamufti,
opposite Shepherd's Hotel.
The Jewish continuum
Connecting all these dots could create a significant
Jewish continuum and cut Sheikh Jarra and the
Old City off from the Palestinian neighborhoods
to the north.
A Jewish neighborhood had existed at the Shimon
Hatzaddik compound until 1948, when the
Jewish inhabitants fled during the war. The
area was settled by Palestinians fleeing from
West Jerusalem.
After the Six-Day War, the Sephardic Community
Committee and the Ashkenazi Community
Committee initiated proceedings to claim
the area, on the grounds that it had belonged
to them since the 19th century.
About 30 years ago, some of the Palestinian
families agreed to start paying rent to the
two organizations.
A few years ago, the Nahalat Shimon association
received the rights from the two organizations.
It is initiating the construction of the new neighborhood.
The Palestinian residents, represented by
attorney Salah Abu Hussein, argued that the
land belongs to a Palestinian who lives in
Jerusalem.
The Supreme Court rejected the Palestinian's
ownership claim two years ago, but refused to
state who does own the land.
Abu Hussein says the Palestinian residents
have been paying rent for decades under an
agreement that grants them ownership
after 30 years.
Meir Margalit of the Israeli Committee
Against House Demolitions says the new plan is
very dangerous because it aims to thwart any chance of a
future agreement based on the division of Jerusalem.
Yusef Daher
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