Peace Now: Construction for largest East Jerusalem settlement has begun
Plan calls for the construction of 104 housing units on land where the former police headquarters was housed.
By Haaretz Service Tags: East Jerusalem Middle East peace
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The former Israel Police headquarters in East Jerusalem, where a settlement is being planned. |
| Photo by: Maya Levin |
The Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now said Sunday that renovation work has recently begun for the construction of 14 housing units in an old Israel Police station in East Jerusalem, where plans are in the works for the largest Jewish neighborhood in that part of the city.
Some 50 Jewish families currently live in six buildings in Ras al-Amud, where an American Jewish millionaire has purchased land for Jewish settlement.
The plan calls for the construction of 104 housing units on the land where the former headquarters of the Judea and Samaria police was housed before it was moved to a new building in Area E-1.
The plan for the building of the new settlement, Ma'aleh David, was filed for approval last summer by the relevant municipal committee at the Jerusalem municipality.
But Peace Now said renovations within the former station did not require municipal building permits - official approval that could torpedo the new peace negotiations.
Once the police evacuated the area it returned to the control of the Committee of the Bokharan Community, which has held ownership over the property and the structures there since before 1948.
The municipality has treaded carefully in its approval of new construction plans since tensions rose between Israel and the U.S. after new construction in East Jerusalem was announced during U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's visit in March.
The new settlement is planned to be connected to an existing Jewish neighborhood, Ma'aleh Zeitim, and together will be occupied by some 200 families, forming the largest Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem.
According to the plan, the former police structure will be razed and replaced by seven structures ranging between four and five stories in height.
The plan involves high-end housing and the complex will include a swimming pool, mini "country club," community library and parking spaces. A synagogue, kindergartens and a mikveh (Jewish ritual purification bath) are also planned for construction there.
A foot bridge will connect the new settlement with existing ones on the other side of the road. The settlement of Ma'aleh Zeitim across the street currently houses 51 families and in its second phase of development, which is currently being completed, another 66 housing units are being built.
When the two neighborhoods are completed and linked, a Jewish settlement of more than 1,000 people will be situated in the heart of Ras al-Amud, a neighborhood comprising 14,000 Palestinians.
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Israel is destroying itself brick by brick and destroying the entire Jewish people with it. STOP!
May 11, 1660 Peace Now: Construction for largest Virginia settlement has begun! The English anti-settlement group "Peace Now" said Sunday that renovation work has recently begun for the construction of 14 housing units in the colonial capital Williamsburg, VA, where plans are in the works for the largest English neighbo(u)rhood in that part of the city. Some 50 English families currently live in six buildings in Jamestown, where a millionaire from Lancashire recently purchased land for a European settlement. ... When the two neighbo(u)rhoods are completed and linked, the English settlement of more than 1,000 people will be situated in the heart of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a neighbo(u)rhood comprising 14,000 Amerindians. Peace Now is an activist group dedicated to ending English settlements and English presence in the Americas, and has called the idea of an independent, European-majority United States as "dangerous" and "absurd".
1) Is this an area that in any final settlement agreement be part of Israel or Palestine? 2) The article states: "the area it returned to the control of the Committee of the Bokharan Community, which has held ownership over the property and the structures there since before 1948.". Who are they? I'm not familiar with the area so it means nothing to me. Are they Jewish, Muslim, Christians? 3) When it was an Israeli Police Station was it under a different status because it was considered public land.(i.e. the way the government here in the U,S. can get easement for the public good) Could somebody familiar with this who can be apolitical explain what is going on? Thanks.
Good questions above. I wonder, cynically, if municipal planners will soon begin confiscating Palestinian property to build one or more replacement police stations to replace the one torn down. My understanding is these "thorn-in-the-side alien enclave" settlements in hostile territory tend to need a lot of security assistance.
Peace Now is continuing its anti-Israel propaganda in an ongoing yield to the Palestinans no matter what absurd arrogant deands they make. The new housing is not a "settlement" as PN states. It is Jews building homes in Israel. Weak, untenable PN propaganda, as usual. Thank you.
The president is more concerned about Jews building in Jerusalem than he is about Iran's building nuclear missiles.
After all, the building in Jerusalem is a fact, the Iranian nuclear missiles are a paranoid fantasy.
If the truly own the land then they should be able to build. They should however know that they may end up living in the State of Palestine and will not receive compensation for Israel if they want to leave.
---they may end up living in the State of Palestine and will not receive compensation ---- Orrr, they probably won't so end up. LOL
just build and dont look back.hesitating will invite attacks and bullying.
How can an American Jew be allowed to purchase land in East Jerusalem while Palestinians who were born there are pushed out of their homes? Did the people of Israel not learn anything for their horrible experience in Nazi Germany?
I hope we learned not to accept laws that discriminate against Jews, and that our well being depends on a strong, secure Jewish homeland.
worthy of world condemnation at this sensitive time, or is it the act of people determined to progress the 1 state dream, the democratic state of Great Holy Land, to its rightful destiny?
It's a shame Haaretz adapted Pals terminology and refers to Jewish communities in united Israeli capital as settlements.
Should be called illegal Israeli settlements.
I've been to Israel several times. I look at Arab conclaves as encampments. Primitive living conditions is the first thought that comes to mind viewing Arab PA areas. Whereas, Jewish locales have paved streets, sewers; lights; parks; schools, hospitals; and genuine communities. Jews have the real 'Neighborhoods.' Haaretz needs to get their act together.
This leaves current Hamas and Likud governments outside.
I thought everyone might like to know that May 12 (28 Iyar) marks the 43rd anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem in the Six-Day War. Want to see how much you really know about Israel's capitol? Log in to the Jerusalem Center's short quiz about Jerusalem and find out: http://www.jcpa.org/quiz/jerusalemquiz.html
The capital of Israel is Tel Aviv, where 100% of the embassies are located, including the American one. It's perfectly legitimate for Israelis to want Jerusalem as their capital, but it can only be West Jerusalem and it's pending peace negotiations to become a reality.
Enough said. What we all thought then was a redemptive moment has turned into a nightmare, by a ideology that has turned into a form of idotary. Leibowitz and Talmon had the spirit that knew it then, 43 yrs ago while the rest of us gloated.
so what else is new ?
when one is bent on cheating, he will use every trick in the book in order to get what he wants. the president says they want peace, the prime minister says he wants to negotiate, but they are not prepared to stop cheating.
When the two neighborhoods are completed and linked, an ISRAELI Jewish settlement of more than 1,000 people will be situated in the heart of Ras al-Amud, a neighborhood comprising 14,000 Palestinians..in "territories occupied". "territories occupied' are those of a hostile entity. Israeli law in place since 1948 forbids Israeli citizens and residents from traveling to the territories of hostile entities.
"According to the plan, the former police structure will be razed and replaced by seven structures ranging between four and five stories in height" As an architect with the experience of few years of work in Jerusalem, let me tell you that by Israeli law, the building permit is required when a building outside envelope is altered (even slightly) or a new opening in it ( eg a window) is envisaged. That razing a public building and erecting a complex of new buildings in its stead would be subjected to no building permit procedure is a kind of world record, possible only in this sad wonderland-democracy called Israel. Leaves one indeed speechless.
Kol HAkavod! We need hundreds like this and Jerusalem will be back as a proud jewish city
Yes, and all the arabs will just disappear wont they. Its not just a Jewish city - you're dreaming.
Arabs can move to Jordan or Iran with their brothers
E. Jerusalem is occupied Palestinian territory. The Palestinians have property rights in West Jerusalem.
"Renovation" work?? (The picture does not show any construction work) I see only malevolence on BOTH sides - the Right and the Left. The Right, of course, has no business to renovate anything now. This is the hand of Yishai (Shas) looking for trouble...But the Left is not better either: for all practical purposes, the result of Peace Now may be that they simply sabotage the peace negotiations or delay it for nothing. Any delay, however, in Jerusalem, is NOT in Palestinian's favor....What is done is done! "Renovation" means nothing! CONSTRUCTION, BEING SOMETHING NEW, DOES! I am an engineer and I know what I am talking about. I give this advice for free to the ignorants of Peace Now. Let peace work proceed!
Another step towards the one-state solution ! Thank you, Bibi !!
Thank God!
Jews living in Jerusalem. What could be better?
Jews living in West Jerusalem is great. Jews living in illegal settlements in occupied Palestinian East Jerusalem is a sad sight, as Israeli settlers living there illegally prevent peace for the country.