Council approves construction of 32 new homes in East Jerusalem
Approval is part of plan to build a total of 250 apartment units in Pisgat Ze'ev neighborhood, despite Obama administration's characterization of Jewish neighborhoods in East Jerusalem as settlements.
Tags: Israel news East Jerusalem Barack ObamaThe Jerusalem municipal planning committee on Monday approved construction of 32 new apartments in a Jewish neighborhood across the Green Line, despite the Obama administration's declared opposition to building in the eastern part of the city.
"We will continue to plan and build in every neighborhood in this city and we will not allow external forces to intervene," said Elisha Peleg, a member of the Jerusalem Municipal Planning and Construction Committee.
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The neighborhood of Pisgat Ze'ev in East Jerusalem |
| Photo by: Tess Scheflan |
The decision to build in the Pisgat Ze'ev neighborhood comes less than a week after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington.
Obama's administration has voiced extreme disappointment with Israel over its decision to continue building in East Jerusalem, despite the 10-month construction freeze.
Construction of the apartments could begin as early as Tuesday. The homes in question are just a fraction of the 250 units the committee is intent on building in the neighborhood.
The rift with the United States began in March when Interior Ministry approved the building of 1,600 new housing units in an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of East Jerusalem during Vice President Joe Biden's visit to the region.
Biden characterized the decision as undermining peace efforts, and the Obama administration has since made clear that it views construction in East Jerusalem as a violation of the settlement freeze. Israel, on the other hand, insists that neighborhoods in Jerusalem should not be likened to West Bank settlements.
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WHAT ARE THE ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF BUILDING IN THE REST OF THE WEST BANK(SAME AS JERUSALEM-"BIBLICAL"?)AND THE GOLAN(SACRED "SECURITY"?),NOT TO MENTION SHEEBA(JUST PROVOCATION?).LET ME SAY,I PRAY ISRAEL HOLDS SWAY(PURELY SELFISH OF ME),BUT I FEAR THE VERY WORST.
Is this the new voice from Mt. Sinai? Is there now an 11th commandment?
HOW MANY OF THESE HOMES IN EAST JERUSALEM ARE DESIGNATED FOR ARABS??
why shouldn't muslims be a majority
And the you people complain why they hate us so much, why there is Hamas why the rockets, why suicide bombings, why Hizbollah, why the world misunderstand us. What as stupid way to show stature and commitment in the proximity talks.
You do not have to want those houses there. No one asks you to BUY a home in Jerusalem. Why would you want the Z'CHUT to own there. Oh yes, by the way I recently bought in HAR HOMA and plan on building there. I am also a USA resident. So stay in TEL AVIV AREA, before the PALS want your neighborhood too. !!!!
Pisgat Zeev is an illegal settlement built on Palestinian land in occupied Palestinian territory, in violation of International Law.
Pisgat Zeev is a neighborhood and home to thousands of Jewish families. This is not "East Jerusalem" as this propagandist paper would have you think. This paper is just as trustworthy as Al-Jazeera, if not less.
Pisgat Ze'ev is as much part of East Jerusalem as is Ramot Eshkol. Sorry to inform you of that but it is occupied territory whose annexation is not recognised by any country. You'll have to just admit that. Now those areas that were judaised might be open to discussion when EJ comes on the table and perhaps there might be exchanges, ie; Talbieh or Katamon is returned to Palestine while Israel can keep Pisgat Ze'ev. But those areas are occupied territory regardless of how the usurpers who confiscated that land have changed its character.
This action shows Israel don't want to have peace. Israel has lost my last respect, so it has to accept the consequences.
Israel is doing everything to make a two-state solution impossible. How shortsighted !
An election promise by Obama was that "Jerusalem must remain the capital of Israel and it must remain undivided". Still waiting for you to fulfill that promise.
East Jerusalem is Palestinian under International Law. The American administration abides by International Law, meaning it will never recognize illegal Israeli settlements in any part of the occupied Palestinian territory. Israel needs to build in Israel, not on its neighbor's land.
Thank god that someone has the guts to stand up for Israel. Build, build, build!
after his talks with Obama. Anyone think there's a coincidence behind the timing of these announcements? Lol...nahhhh...
You may want all those houses there, but some of us don't want to pay for them.
Why is Israel the only country in the world supposedly not allowed to build new homes IN ITS OWN CAPITAL? We Americans can do whatever we want in D.C, I would love to see the UN and the Arabs argue we can't, lol :p
The eastern part of the city, however, doesn't belong to it.
Under International Law, Israel's capital is Tel Aviv, the city where 100 % of foreign embassies are located. Foreign embassies are ALWAYS located in a country's capital... West Jerusalem is destined to be the capital of Israel, but only after peace has been negotiated and a Palestinian state established. It cannot be recognized as the Israeli capital as long as Israel occupies the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
as you well know
Maybe because is the only country occupying the land of a whole nation awaiting its right to return!!! By the way, there is something called United Nations and is actually based in the US, you can see sooooooooo many resolutions there that can help you have the picture a bit clearer!
That won't be nearly enough apartments for all the Jews who want to live in Israel's capital.
There has been a freeze which is what the Pals asked for to return to talks. They refuse to talk and they refuse to move to direct talks. They only will accept what they want in full. How long can any country, city, community afford to not build a house, an apartment or a store. If in the end the land is used as part of a peace deal then I guess there are some extra nice apartments thrown in. Land cant be frozen during this process; especially, since the Pals wont negotiate. They only want the full piece of land.
The annexation of East Jerusalem was declared ILLEGAL by UNSC Resolution 252 (1968)of 21 May 1968 UNSC Resolution 267 (1969) of 3 July 1969 UNSC Resolution 271 (1969) of 15 September 1969, UNSC Resolution 298 (1971) of 25 September 1971, UNSC Resolution 465 (1980) of 1 March 1980, UNSC Resolution 476 (1980) of 30 June 1980 And yet, Israel defies the International Community.
Let's not get boggled down with facts. The bible says it's the eternal city of the Jewish people. A proclamation the entire international community must hold as sacrosanct..
"We will continue to plan and build in every neighborhood in this city and we will not allow external forces to intervene," said Elisha Peleg, a member of the Jerusalem Municipal Planning and Construction Committee.
How do you think Israel, such a tiny state, has accomplished all it has accomplished, politically, scientifically, medically, etc. Israel excels as it has such a bright people and tough too. "Never again!"
of the collective guilt of the world over the holocaust, and, oh yeah, the 500 pound gorilla guarding and supporting it.
Being all talk and no action
illegally building homes in non-israeli land, arresting women for reading from the torah, preventing palestinian women from studying, alienating the non-orthodox diaspora jews, israel is really covering all the bases today ain't it?
He came he got obama to smile with him and now he will slap him in the faceand laught at him is usual. It seam obama like that
If the freeze is off say so. I don't like seeing all the videos of illegal building on youtube, Max Blumenthal, AlJazeera etc. while our leaders tell me it is not happening.
never agreed to a freeze in Jerusalem. At least get your facts straight.
32 ? ! It should be 3200 !
Like an open book. Gets rather boring to be honest.
It was established as the capital of Kingdom of Israel by King David 1000 years BCE, 1400 years before Arabs migrated to this land and 2950 years before UN was formed.
when muslims say that they want to create the caliphate in the whole world--can they do that because their prophet said that too? u know years and years before UN... btw if israel doesn't have to care abut UN then they did they sign their charter.
Interesting analysis on history here. There is a history of loss by the Jewish people of the land - the Egyptians, the Babylonians and the Romans. It was Darius (Persian) who freed them from Babylon and ordered the temple to be rebuilt - the one the Romans destroyed. Jerusalem was a Canaanite city with a history at least 1000 years prior to the Jews arriving. The Canaanites are the ancestors of the modern Palestinians. Sinful Israel(i government) should be more concerned with its own actions than those of other men? The fear is that history will repeat itself.
I cant believe you use an ancient kingdom to support your argument? Not even a hardcore pro-Israeli going to use this silly argument to justify his beliefs. Spanish
New York was once Dutch. Does that mean The Netherlands can put in a claim? And what about the indigenous native Americans who occupied the place before the Dutch? Shall we change the world map back according to ancient history?
If Jewz expect to eventually push all of the Palestinians out of Judea and Samaria then the responsible thing for Jewz to do is purchase land in Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon and build new condos for the Arab-Palestinians you are displacing. Provide these governments and displaced people with the financial resources they need to not only start life over but to also benefit from the entire process. If the Arabs all benefited from the process they would be lined up to move to their new country. For a Mexican to jump the border into the U.S. it is like winning the lottery. The primary objection that Americans have is the crippling cost. Jewz are the richest people in the U.S. and they send a lot of money to Israel. The primary problem is the element of theft which is associated with little or no compensation for the land that is taken. What is the Israeli's cost to maintain the IDF? Would it not be less expensive in not only life and money but also in animosity to fund an amicable solution rather than compel compliance to such injustice?
This land does not belong to anyone! It is empty, uninhabited land. The Arabs have no more claim to it then the Israelis.
You can send them to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon but it wont be their home
are people not pot plants
...that Barak still keeps Labour in this government. We're clearly headed towards a one-state solution that's either jewish or democratic, not both.
...It's time President Obama turns his words into action.
Are Israeli Arabs / Palestinians allowed to move into these apartments? If not, how do Israelis justify this? Would I as a white Christian be allowed to live there? I ask this because sometimes I feel that Jews throughout the world want to be treated in a way that they cannot bring themselves to treat others within their own country. If banning non-jews from living here is justified, I wonder what there thoughts are on banning jews from living in certain neighborhoods in the west?
since this is legal construction under Israeli law. however most arabs traditionally stay put, they bind to the land/enlarged family. I suppose now it might be changing? i'm not sure. in any case, the tension btw Jews and Arabs is based on mistrust, not legalities...
of course not. these apartments are just for jews!
In Jerusalem, Israel builds homes for Jews while demolishing Arab homes (ironically for not having building "permits" which they are never given because they are Arab). And note half the Arabs in E. Jerusalem are CHRISTIANS.
As a long time resident of Pisgat Ze'ev, I can tell you that yes, Israeli and Palestinian (East Jerusalem residency holders) Arabs can and do live in Pisgat Ze'ev. In recent years, many residents of places like Shuafat and other areas now past the security fence have relocated to Pisgat Ze'ev because they do not want to lose their rights to Israeli/Jerusalem residency if those areas on the other side of the fence are turned over to the PA. Also, a significant number of Christian East Jerusalem Arabs have chosen to buy apartments in Pisgat Zeev. Our neighbors are a lovely Christian Palestinian family who moved to Pisgat Ze'ev because apartments are cheaper here than in the nearby Arab enclave of Beit Haninia. For the record, there are absolutely no laws in Israel restricting Arabs from moving into predominantly Jewish neighborhoods. Despite what you may hear, Israel actually has very tough anti-discrimination laws.
If Obama does not cut all support to Israel, then he is helping finance EJ settlement construction. Obama must finally realize that action speaks louder than words. In fact, words have little effect upon Israel as this article points out so well. Obama: Take action or shut up!
If the State Department says that it "regrets" this deliberate provocation then Obama may as well send his Nobel Prize back, because he certainly doesn't deserve it. Israel is clearly testing Obama's resolve, and he doesn't slap down Bibi then tomorrow it'll be another 250, and in a week it'll be 2,500, and by the end of this year there'll be nothing left to "negotiate" over.