Thursday
Dec082016
Israel Pushes Plans for Hundreds of New Houses in Contiguous East Jerusalem Neighbourhood
Thursday, December 8, 2016 at 10:27PM
http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.757662
The group Ir Amim says the city is promoting construction in Gilo for Israelis living over the Green Line while freezing planning in adjacent Palestinian neighborhoods
by Yotam Berger 8 December 2016 Haaretz
A construction site in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo, 2009. Daniel Bar-On
The Jerusalem District Planning and Building Committee has moved forward with a plan to build 770 housing units in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo, which lays beyond the Green Line, a project critics say may be large enough to cut chances of achieving a two-state solution.
The municipality says the plan has been going through the approval process since 2013 and several more planning stages must be approved before construction can begin.
The nonprofit group Ir Amim says the plan leaves a very small area between Jerusalem and the Palestinian town Beit Jala. Gilo is on the other side of the Green Line, Israel’s border before the 1967 Six-Day War.
“The municipality is promoting construction for Israelis while continuing to freeze planning and engage in widespread home demolitions in the adjacent Palestinian neighborhoods,” Ir Amim said in a statement.
It said Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat “is proving once again that the city’s Jewish and Palestinian residents are not treated equally there. He is also harming the chances for a future political accord.”
The municipality notes that the approval process is not over.
“A plan for residential construction was approved for this location in 2013,” the municipality said. “As part of the plan’s progress, a plan was approved for merging and dividing some of the area covered by the plan that was approved for residential purposes to let part of the land be allotted for roads, public spaces and more.”
The municipality denied it was adding improperly.
“There has been no change in the Jerusalem municipality’s position. The municipality is working throughout the city according to the city master plan and in accordance with the Planning and Building Law, and is advancing construction for Arabs and Jews alike,” the city said.
“Building in Jerusalem is necessary and important and will continue full steam ahead to enable more young people to live in Jerusalem, build their future here and strengthen Israel’s capital.”
Larger plans?
The project would be built on the south-eastern edge of Gilo, a neighborhood located beyond the 1997 Green Line.Haaretz
In November, Jerusalem okayed over 150 new units for Gilo, prompting American anger. In August, a plan to build thousands of new housing units in Gilo was reportedly being advanced by private developers with the blessing of the Jerusalem municipality.
The plan, which was in its initial stages, includes the construction of some 2,500 housing units in the area east of Gilo, near Route 60, located at the southern part of the capital, not for from the Palestinian town of Beit Jala.
Such a large-scale project will undoubtedly face difficulties, especially due to American opposition to Israeli construction beyond the Green Line. Only recently, a similar construction plan, dubbed South Gilo Terraces, was delayed due to political pressure on Jerusalem's Planning Committee not to authorize the construction.
Yotam Berger
Haaretz Correspondent
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City Hall Backs Plan for Thousands of New Housing Units in East Jerusalem
Plan to build some 2,500 housing units beyond 1967 Green Line being spearheaded by private developers, but enjoys local government's support.
Nir Hasson Aug 08, 2016 5:12 PM
U.S. strongly condemns 'accelerated, systematic' settlement activity by Israel
Israel to U.S.: Criticism of settlement construction 'factually baseless'
A plan to build thousands of new housing units in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo is being advanced by private developers with the blessing of the Jerusalem municipality.
The plan, currently in its initial stages, includes the construction of some 2,500 housing units in the area east of Gilo, near Route 60, located at the southern part of the capital, not for from the Palestinian town of Beit Jala.
The plan, first reported Monday by the Israeli outlet Walla News, covers an area of some 200 dunam (50 acres). Most of the designated land is under private ownership, and some 30 percent belongs to Palestinians who fled Israel in 1948.
The project would be built on the south-eastern edge of Gilo, a neighborhood located beyond the 1997 Green Line.Haaretz
The plan is being advanced by the developer Nehemiah Davidi and architect David Guggenheim, who plan to put forth a master plan for the area, and then, pending its authorization, outline the actual details of the new neighborhood in Gilo.
Such a large-scale project will undoubtedly face difficulties, especially due to American opposition to Israeli construction beyond the Green Line, the pre-1967 borders of Israel. Only recently, a similar construction plan, dubbed South Gilo Terraces, was delayed due to political pressure on Jerusalem's Planning Committee not to authorize the construction.
"I believe it will work," said Ofer Ayoub, who heads Gilo's community administration. "I don't see Gilo as being beyond the Green Line and it is mistaken to treat it this way. Gilo is an inseparable part for Jerusalem, these delays will only cause housing prices to raise."
Nir Hasson
Haaretz Correspondent