Settlers marketing East Jerusalem homes for 22 Jewish families
Group says plan essential to prevent UN from 'forcibly taking Jerusalem from Jewish hands.'
By Nir Hasson Tags: Jerusalem Israel news East Jerusalem Israel settlersAn organization committed to populating East Jerusalem with Jewish residents has said that it has six properties in the Old City to sell to 22 Jewish families, which would bring the number of Jews living in the Arab quarters of the walled city to 1,000.
"The heart of Jerusalem is calling us," reads a new brochure that the association Ateret Cohanim is circulating in an apparent effort to market the buildings. "Six registered assets are now up for sale, opening to us the possibility of adding 22 families to the Jewish community's flourishing."
The brochure also says that these 22 families would bring the number of Jews residing in the Old City (not including those in the Jewish Quarter) to 1,000. It continues: "At a time when the United Nations and countries around the world plot to forcibly take away Jerusalem and the holy places from Jewish hands, a steady and strong Jewish presence inside the Old City has become crucial to our ability as a nation to maintain and control this spiritual center."
The brochure, a copy of which has been seen by Haaretz, concludes by telling readers: "You and Ateret Cohanim will make it happen."
The document also specifies which Old City assets are earmarked to be populated by Jews, and provides details on plans for expansion of Jewish settlements elsewhere in East Jerusalem.
All the assets are listed with Hebrew names, such as Beit Sha'ar Haprachim (House of the Gate of the Flowers, referring to Herod's Gate), Beit Hanes (House of the Miracle) and Beit Hakorban (House of the Offering). Prices are specified next to each asset, the number of families it can hold and other details.
The Ateret Cohanim association is one of the most active right-wing nonprofits in East Jerusalem, allotting considerable funds and effort to populating the heart of the Muslim Quarter with Jews, as well as placing Jews in houses in other Arab neighborhoods and villages in the East Jerusalem area.
Ateret Cohanim's stated goal is to enter areas inhabited only by Arabs so as to prevent the city's partition. The association's most controversial project is Beit Yehonatan, a seven-story building constructed without permit in the village of Silwan. It was listed as condemned several years ago, but it is currently home to several Jewish families.
The brochure was found by Dr. Meir Margalit, a member of Jerusalem's City Council from Meretz, in the course of his research into settlement efforts in the eastern part of the capital. The building, for example, bearing the Hebrew name of Herod's Gate is described in the sales material as what will one day become a Jewish neighborhood in the Muslim Quarter, with 21 families, a synagogue, a kindergarten and a mikva (ritual bath). The house currently for sale is 400 square meters in floor space, and can house four families. Its cost, as stated in the brochure, is $1.7 million. Another asset, listed as Beit Boteach (The House of the Trusting Believer) is priced at $2.75 million, and can accommodate four families, whose members would live near the Lions Gate, also in the Muslim Quarter.
Margalit has scheduled a meeting with representatives of the European Union and from the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem to discuss the issue. Daniel Luria, director general of Ateret Cohanim, declined to comment on the plans specified in the brochure when contacted by Haaretz.
Why Facebook Connect?
Comment on Haaretz.com articles with your Facebook login, and share your thoughts on your own wall.
- Latest
- Most Viewed
- Most Rated
- Open all
I am interested in moving to israel and am interested in living in the olde city, the heart of Jerusalem. Could i get some information on these homes, are they still available?
"granted they are catering to a distinct religious/ethnic group, but is that not their right as private individuals? Would this not be legal in any other free nation on Earth?" Hmm, how about the "Jews Only" sign on the door. How legal would it be if the "sign" said "No Jews Allowed" No David, it is not legal in any other "free" nation on earth. Of late, posters here seem to find themselves promoting policies that are reminiscent of nazi germany where all these things were "legal". It is very sad that you don't see this.
"We will live and endure and prosper in the land of Israel." (Jew) Rabbi Yehuda Gelman said, "We can desire the Land of Israel with great yearning, but that does not constitute sufficient merit. [...] To deserve the Land we must become a society of spiritual excellence in all spheres of life, a nation of decency, in government and personal relations. Obsessive concentration on Eretz Yisrael should yield to concentrating on creating before God a meritorious nation." www.yeshiva.org.il/midrash/shiur.asp?cat=58&id=4825&q= Now will you tell us, where is it written that to deserve and prosper in all the Land, we have to rule a foreign and stateless people? What is so "meritorious" in that? And what kind of "spiritual excellence and decency in government" is this?
"They now threaten us with more terrorism, if we don't give in to their demands and return to borders they attempted to erase." (Steve of Mevaserret) Don't be stupid. The UN Security Council does not threaten us with more terrorism, and has never attempted to erase our borders. "ALL legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel, [...] which tend to change the legal status of Jerusalem, are invalid and cannot change that status; ... " From "United Nations Security Council Resolution 252" www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/UN/unres252.html
Jews living in Jerusalem is not crucial to the existance of the Jewish people?
For Arabs moving into Jewish areas of Jerusalem, there are first to be Jews prepared to sell their properties to Arabs. These exist only in your feverish imagination.
Settlers are the terrorists, and they perform their terrorism invoking God. What a corruption of our values!
If you believe that Jews should live anywhere they want in the Old City I hope you also believe that Palestinians can live anywhere they want as well not only in the Old City but anywhere in Israel. Do you believe that? I hope so as I believe that both jews and Palestinians have the right to live anywhere, without discrimination, in the land that is home to both peoples.
Where are the articles against Arabs moving into Jewish areas of Jerusalem? You only protest against Jews. Pure racism and discrimination. And Jews have every right to live anywhere in the Old City.
in your words "They profess to be Jewish but break the basic tenets of Judaism by breaking the law." pardon my ignorance but what I see here is a non-governmental organization purchasing privately owned land and then selling/leasing it to private individuals. granted this is group has an agenda, and granted they are catering to a distinct religious/ethnic group, but is that not their right as private individuals? Would this not be legal in any other free nation on Earth? I am curious to know, if there was a group dedicated to moving Arabs and/or Muslims into Tel Aviv would you appose that as well? Or are only Jews not allowed to live in the old city of Jerusalem?
That money can be put to better use to feed the starving Israeli Children and adults.
The settlers ... those ideological nuts who think they can do whatever they want in the name of God! They are a pathetic segment of Israeli society and all of Israel should be ashamed that these people reflect to the world what Israel really is.
Whenever someone says that settlements in the W Bank are illegal/immoral/wrong, the hardline settlers scream 'it's ethnic cleansing! They tell us we can't live here!' As a Christian, I am highly offended that organisations such as these are allowed by the ISRAELI GOVERNMENT to propagate 'Jews only' properties/settlements. I think Christians, and especially Arabs, should have 100% the same rights to buy these properties, and to buy properties in the W Bank settlements. If we are not allowed to do so, isn't that ethnic cleansing?
"Ateret Cohanim's stated goal is to enter areas inhabited only by Arabs so as to prevent the city's partition." The city is already partitioned although, unlike in the West bank, the partition is made of signs, not concrete barriers. Try to get a Jerusalem Egged bus or a Jewish-run taxi to drive east past the Damascus Gate. No way, José. East Jerusalem has green service taxis for their part of town (no buses) with destinations marked in Arabic. Jewish passengers don't use them not because they may not, but because they dare not. Who is Ateret Cohanim kidding? Only themselves and the settlers. The Government continues to profit from the mirages of people who buy into this fantasy at our peril.
as Muslims trying to populate the Vatican. With three faiths having Jerusalem as a holy place, the division of the Old City into quarters remains a pragmatic solution. (Leave aside that the Christians got 2 of the quarters). What for these political-religious extremists want to torpedo the delicate status quo? It seems they're happy to trample over any faith that isn't Judaism and anyone who isn't a Jew. These settlers just can't stop trying to create facts on the ground can they, no matter how much trouble it causes. Will we see a wise Israeli Government rein them in and kick them out, or will it be the usual wink wink, nod nod to yet more expansion and provocation? I wouldn't hold your breath on sanity prevailing under Likud.
about it. Will will live and endure and prosper in the land of Israel.
The Old City is, and was for centuries, divided into Moslem, Christian and Jewish quarters. If Israel wants change, then its time for Christians and Moslems to buy into, or reclaim their land in the Jewish quarter.
What is it about ILLEGAL some folk don't get? They profess to be Jewish but break the basic tenets of Judaism by breaking the law. Really quite weird how some folk actually support criminal activity.
Nothing like a biased newspaper with a political agenda. Forget about the national rights of our people to live and build in our homeland like any other nation on this planet that has less right to the land they occupy than we have to the Land of Israel. Surely we must make peace "at all costs" with those who have tried to kill us before it is too late. They now threaten us with more terrorism, if we don't give in to their demands and return to borders they attempted to erase. No wonder their supporters want to "tear down the Apartheid Wall".
Its fantastic to see that Jews and Arabs can live together peacefully, even in arab neighborhoods. you are also treating the Arab sellers whith much respect as you find them very good prices for their property that they they want to sell. i hear as well you look after the sellers as well, to make sure they are safe from their brethren that would kill them for merely using their free choice to sell their own property. Great Work Ateret Kohanim!!!