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Last update - 10:03 31/01/2008 Jewish group to build 200 new housing units in East Jerusalem 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. Advertisement 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. 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. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Seeking refuge 123 Sudanese refugees infiltrate Israel from Egypt overnight. Bracing for terror Israel, U.S. fear retaliatory strikes after killing of Mughniyah.   1.   Go ahead, build, prove Ahmadinejad right in his comments... 05:27  |  POP 31/01/08   2.   Israel is a joke. a state built on religious land theft.... 06:04  |  POP 31/01/08   3.   east jerusalem 06:23  |  Fadi 31/01/08   4.   There is NO "Palestinian" neighborhood in Israel`s Jerusalem ! 06:26  |  amir 31/01/08   5.   Jerusalem Belongs To The Jewish People 06:39  |  Norman F Birnberg 31/01/08   6.   The Truth About Eretz Israel 06:50  |  Norman F Birnberg 31/01/08   7.   Arab land theft of Jewish land in Jerusalem started in 630`s CE 07:15  |  barack 31/01/08   8.   ethnic cleansing in action. i can`t believe it 07:23  |  Jeremy Martin 31/01/08   9.   Good Job 07:23  |  Yehoshua 31/01/08   10.   I am interested in living there! 07:28  |  Israeli 31/01/08   11.   Fadi # 3 07:29  |  Rozz 31/01/08   12.   Ownership 07:29  |  Max 31/01/08   13.   Interesting how buying land is considered stealing 07:57  |  David G 31/01/08   14.   New housing units 07:59  |  claire 31/01/08   15.   People of the Holy Book 08:13  |  American Muslim 31/01/08   16.   #1, #2, #3, #5 How is it theft if they *own* the land? 08:22  |  Gili 31/01/08   17.   Wow 08:29  |  Jehad 31/01/08   18.   to POOP....you are what your name says you are 08:48  |  SLAVO 31/01/08   19.   to POOP...always the first to post on this Jewish website 08:49  |  SLAVO 31/01/08   20.   Islam is an occupier religion 08:51  |  abba 31/01/08   21.   #8 Jeremy Martin 08:59  |  seth 31/01/08   22.   dont ever say palestinians are liars again 09:28  |  ddddddddd 31/01/08   23.   JEWS OWN THE LAND AND JEWS WILL BUILD 09:29  |  Yishai Kohen 31/01/08   24.   Racial discrimation at its worst 09:31  |  Cynic #2 31/01/08   25.   Further proving Israeli greed 09:33  |  David Schecter 31/01/08   26.   To Norman Birnberg 10:06  |  Lee 31/01/08   27.   It was once Jewish land. What is the problem? 10:29  |  Another Jew 31/01/08   28.   The land was Jewish, the Jews want it back. 10:31  |  Alex Levy 31/01/08   29.   "Palestinian buildings must be demolished" 11:05  |  whoopsie 31/01/08   30.   response to `Another Jew, #27 11:24  |  danalogue 31/01/08   31.   Jerusalem the Eternally United Capital of Jews Worldwide 11:24  |  Michael J 31/01/08   32.   JMARTIN.You can`t believe Arab invaders killed the Jews & stole 11:25  |  PETER SM 31/01/08   33.   These announcements 11:54  |  sh 31/01/08   34.   #23 Yishai Koehn. No one owns any land Yishai. 12:08  |  Maureen Ann 31/01/08   35.   The Episode 2645: Two Bureaucrats Strike Again? 12:16  |  zmogus 31/01/08   36.   jerusalem 12:33  |  danny 31/01/08   37.   No excuse in West Bank 12:46  |  Truths 31/01/08   38.   Jerusalem is exclusively Jewish. 13:21  |  Harold Lane 31/01/08   39.   Danalogue re Another Jew, #27 and once Jewish land 13:25  |  the truth 31/01/08   40.   "...very close to the American Colony Hotel 13:25  |  Zvi 31/01/08   41.   Forward to the prosperity. 13:37  |  Vital 31/01/08   42.   Time to start discuss denial for muslims to enter Jerusalem 13:58  |  Johnny 31/01/08   43.   # 11 Roz to Fadi Amen Lady! 14:04  |  Petra 31/01/08   44.   No 4 - schools, hospitals, homes, shops..... 14:07  |  Palestinian Brit 31/01/08   45.   # 15 People of the Holy Book 14:10  |  Petra 31/01/08   46.   # 35 Zmogus MIRACLES ARE ISRAEL 14:28  |  Petra 31/01/08   47.   Danalogue re another Jew Part 1 of 2 (3rd try) 14:36  |  the truth 31/01/08   48.   The Palestinians should settle in Iraq on lands taken from 14:39  |  Akram Zekaria 31/01/08   49.   ENTIRE CONFLICT EXPLAINED IN LESS THAN 20 LINES 14:43  |  G. Marcus 31/01/08   50.   #27,AnotherJew. Not everyone has problem with ethnic cleansing... 14:56  |  zmogus 31/01/08   51.   #46, Petra. I have a very serious question to you: 15:15  |  zmogus 31/01/08   52.   You Break a Deal, face the wheel- 15:18  |  Jack 31/01/08   53.   JERUSALEM-ETERNAL, INDIVISIBLE CAPITAL CITY OF ISRAEL 15:20  |  Brod 31/01/08   54.   Simply wonderful news. Keep on going. Hazak v` amatz! 15:26  |  Jerusalem hayakir 31/01/08   55.   Requires A Call For Non Violent Resistance 15:27  |  Yaakov Sullivan 31/01/08   56.   In the Struggle to Reach Maximum Judaisation 15:30  |  Yaakov Sullivan 31/01/08   57.   Jeru, Jeru, how I want thee.... 15:38  |  Jim 31/01/08   58.   Alex Levy Says the Jews Want It Back 15:39  |  Yaakov Sullivan 31/01/08   59.   # 50 zmogus 15:40  |  17 31/01/08   60.   Birnberg on Jerusalem 15:41  |  Yaakov Sullivan 31/01/08   61.   Yishai Kohen as a Zionist Swashbuckler! 15:42  |  Yaakov Sullivan 31/01/08   62.   #21, seth to #8, Jeremy Martin, on medications and other measures 15:44  |  zmogus 31/01/08   63.   Claims! 15:50  |  Georges 31/01/08   64.   Akram Zekaria 15:52  |  Tareq 31/01/08   65.   #5 Norman F. Bimberg 15:54  |  JIm 31/01/08   66.   response to `the truth` #47 15:56  |  danalogue 31/01/08   67.   jj burke 16:04  |  hong kong 31/01/08   68.   #4 Norman F. Bimberg...Again 16:11  |  Jim 31/01/08   69.   #50 - did you even read the article? 16:12  |  Steve 31/01/08   70.   #48 Say Akram 16:14  |  ballistic 31/01/08   71.   # 15