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Jerusalem moving ahead with controversial park project
Jerusalem municipality on Monday said it was moving ahead with plans to build a new archaeological park that call for the demolition of 22 Arab homes, raising fears of unrest in the Holy City.
The city's planning and building committee approved the Gan Hamelech (King's Garden) project, a municipal spokesman said, using the Hebrew name for the area outside Jerusalem's Old City known as Al-Bustan to its mostly Arab residents.
In March, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Jerusalem's Mayor Nir Barkat to freeze the project to avoid sparking conflict in Jerusalem and further straining ties with Washington amid a row over Jewish settlements.
Several Western countries, including the United States, have urged Israel to refrain from such demolitions to avoid further harming the already hobbled Middle East peace process.
"The prime minister had asked for the project to be delayed to allow further dialogue with the residents," the municipal spokesman said. "That process has been completed."
Under the plan approved on Monday, 22 homes would be demolished, while 66 other buildings constructed without Israeli permission would be legalised, he said.
"Permission was given for the owners of the houses that would be destroyed to rebuild them on the other side of the area, so a solution has been found for everyone," he said.
While the plan has been approved by the committee, it still has several legal stages to go before being implemented, the spokesman said.
Israel's Ynet website, meanwhile, reported fierce verbal exchanges between the committee members and residents who oppose the project during Monday's meeting.
Israeli rights groups slammed the project, saying it was part of Israel's plan to extend its control over the city.
"It comes in the general context of fast-track judaisation of the Old City, the Holy Basin and East Jerusalem generally, thereby pre-empting the possibility of Jerusalem ever being a shared city, or indeed capital of a Palestinian state. This of itself precludes peace," said the Israeli Committee against House Demolitions.
A spokesman for Netanyahu said the prime minister still wanted the issue resolved through dialogue.
"This is a preliminary planning procedure and it still gives time, more than enough time, for dialogue to continue between the municipal authorities and residents of the neighbourhood in the hope an agreed solution can be found. That's what the prime minister called for," said Mark Regev.
The area is part of the so-called Holy Basin, believed to be the site of ancient Jerusalem during the time of the biblical kings David and Solomon.
It is now a crowded Arab neighbourhood in a part of the city occupied by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed in a move not recognised internationally.
The Palestinians have demanded the mostly Arab eastern part of the city as the capital of their future state.
Israel's relations with the US have in recent months hit a decades-long low, sparked by the announcement of the construction of 1,600 housing units in a Jewish neighbourhood in east Jerusalem during the visit of US Vice President Joe Biden in March.
A senior Israeli official said the current construction was in line with Israel's policies. Netanyahu is set to meet US President Barack Obama at the White House on July 6.
"Israel's position on Jerusalem is very consistent. We have always said the freeze only applies to the West Bank and not to Jerusalem, and we have been very transparent on this issue," the official said, referring to a limited moratorium on new construction imposed in November.
Many Palestinians in east Jerusalem risk having their homes razed because they were built or expanded without the necessary permits, which are nearly impossible to obtain.
Jerusalem moving ahead with controversial park project - Asia - World - Dalje.com
Jerusalem municipality on Monday said it was moving ahead with plans to build a new archaeological park that call for the demolition of 22 Arab homes, raising fears of unrest in the Holy City.
The city's planning and building committee approved the Gan Hamelech (King's Garden) project, a municipal spokesman said, using the Hebrew name for the area outside Jerusalem's Old City known as Al-Bustan to its mostly Arab residents.
In March, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Jerusalem's Mayor Nir Barkat to freeze the project to avoid sparking conflict in Jerusalem and further straining ties with Washington amid a row over Jewish settlements.
Several Western countries, including the United States, have urged Israel to refrain from such demolitions to avoid further harming the already hobbled Middle East peace process.
"The prime minister had asked for the project to be delayed to allow further dialogue with the residents," the municipal spokesman said. "That process has been completed."
Under the plan approved on Monday, 22 homes would be demolished, while 66 other buildings constructed without Israeli permission would be legalised, he said.
"Permission was given for the owners of the houses that would be destroyed to rebuild them on the other side of the area, so a solution has been found for everyone," he said.
While the plan has been approved by the committee, it still has several legal stages to go before being implemented, the spokesman said.
Israel's Ynet website, meanwhile, reported fierce verbal exchanges between the committee members and residents who oppose the project during Monday's meeting.
Israeli rights groups slammed the project, saying it was part of Israel's plan to extend its control over the city.
"It comes in the general context of fast-track judaisation of the Old City, the Holy Basin and East Jerusalem generally, thereby pre-empting the possibility of Jerusalem ever being a shared city, or indeed capital of a Palestinian state. This of itself precludes peace," said the Israeli Committee against House Demolitions.
A spokesman for Netanyahu said the prime minister still wanted the issue resolved through dialogue.
"This is a preliminary planning procedure and it still gives time, more than enough time, for dialogue to continue between the municipal authorities and residents of the neighbourhood in the hope an agreed solution can be found. That's what the prime minister called for," said Mark Regev.
The area is part of the so-called Holy Basin, believed to be the site of ancient Jerusalem during the time of the biblical kings David and Solomon.
It is now a crowded Arab neighbourhood in a part of the city occupied by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed in a move not recognised internationally.
The Palestinians have demanded the mostly Arab eastern part of the city as the capital of their future state.
Israel's relations with the US have in recent months hit a decades-long low, sparked by the announcement of the construction of 1,600 housing units in a Jewish neighbourhood in east Jerusalem during the visit of US Vice President Joe Biden in March.
A senior Israeli official said the current construction was in line with Israel's policies. Netanyahu is set to meet US President Barack Obama at the White House on July 6.
"Israel's position on Jerusalem is very consistent. We have always said the freeze only applies to the West Bank and not to Jerusalem, and we have been very transparent on this issue," the official said, referring to a limited moratorium on new construction imposed in November.
Many Palestinians in east Jerusalem risk having their homes razed because they were built or expanded without the necessary permits, which are nearly impossible to obtain.
Jerusalem moving ahead with controversial park project - Asia - World - Dalje.com
