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Claims of conflict of interest: A petition was filed to freeze the Jewish Heritage Center in Silwan
In a neighborhood that is completely populated by Palestinians, a center for the heritage of Yemeni immigrants living there is planned.
The Registrar of Dedications opened an examination of the conduct of the trustees of the endowment of the property where the center will be established, and the "Ir Amim" association petitioned for a freeze on its construction until its completion.
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Silwan
East Jerusalem
Maya Horodnichano
Tuesday, 22 December 2020, 18:25 Updated: Wednesday, 23 December 2020, 19:06
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Edited by Tomer Levy
Ir Amim has petitioned to freeze the promotion of the Yemenite Jewish Heritage Center in Silwan, pending an investigation by the Ministry of Justice into allegations of a conflict of interest between the property owners - HaKedesh Benvenisti, whose trustees are members of Ateret Cohanim.
The petition states that "a situation should not be accepted in which the state conducts an in-depth examination (exception) to examine the claims in one hand, and flows large amounts of public money directly to the trustees and to advance the association's goals, in the other hand."
It was also claimed that the center that was promoted was intended to encourage Jewish settlement in the village.
The Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage launched the Heritage Center project for the Yemenite village two years ago, together with the dedication and the Ateret Cohanim association, which works for the Judaization of East Jerusalem.
An announcement of the planned project at a synagogue that operated on the site states that its goal is "the restoration of the synagogue in the Shiloah village as a center of Yemenite Jewish heritage that will be a center for study, study, tour and guidance about Yemenite Jewish heritage, its ancient and renewable settlement in Jerusalem."
It was further claimed that the building would present the story of Yemenite Jewry and the settlement there since then.
About two months ago, the government company for the development of Jerusalem (PMI) issued a tender to operate a "visitor center in the Yemenite village."
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"To dedicate there is nothing but 'assets'."
Silwan neighborhood in East Jerusalem (Photo: Reuven Castro)
In the area where the synagogue is located, a community of Yemenite Jews lived in the 19th century, and a "sanctuary in Benvenisti" was established, which was to use its property instead of the city's poor.
But the village was abandoned in 1938, during the Great Arab Revolt.
Most of the buildings were demolished and Palestinians who arrived at the site erected new ones.
Ateret Cohanim revealed in an investigation that it conducted information about the endowment's assets at the site, and in the early 2000s the court approved the association's members' request to become endowment trustees.
In recent years, the association has been working to evacuate Palestinian residents from their homes, on the grounds that it is an area of the dedication.
Among other things, according to the petition, a Palestinian family living in the building where the visitor center is planned was evacuated.
In addition, about two years ago, the High Court rejected the petition of more than a hundred residents of the area against the transfer of ownership of the land to the association, and approved the evacuation of about 800 residents living in the area.
"Fear that public funds are intended to advance the association's goals"
In a petition filed by Ir Amim in the Jerusalem District Court last week, it was argued that the promotion of the project should be stopped, due to a conflict of interest and the investigation being conducted in this matter today.
According to the petitioners, the trustees of the endowment act in accordance with the goals of the Ateret Cohanim Association, and not in accordance with the goals of the endowment - assistance to the poor.
Following a previous petition filed on the matter along with residents of Silwan, the unit of the Registrar of Dedications, which works to ensure that properties designated for public purpose will be used for their purpose, announced that it has begun an in-depth examination.
The examination includes the conduct of the trustees in accordance with the law and regulations, as well as their conduct in accordance with the purposes of the dedication and the letter of dedication.
According to the petitioners, there is a concern that "the public funds allocated for this purpose are intended to advance the goals of the Ateret Cohanim Association, which controls through temporary administrations the dedication in Benvenisti."
The petition also states that "the endowment is managed, operated and financed by Ateret Kohanim, the operation to manage the evacuation of Palestinians from the endowment properties and the settlement of Jewish settlers in them is managed by Ateret Kohanim."
The Yemenite synagogue, where the center is planned, in the heart of the Silwan neighborhood (Photo: Ir Amim)
The petition further stated that "the endowment has nothing but 'assets', in which it claims ownership: it has no funds, it has no administrative mechanism, it has no mechanism for raising donations, it does not even have a bank account."
In addition, the petition filed through attorneys Carmel Pomerantz and Vichy Schnidor also emphasizes the association's involvement in the project, and among other things claims that a tour for those interested in the tender was conducted by one of Ateret Cohanim, Yosef Bruce.
At the same time, the petitioners add that the same employee is married to the boards of directors of the East Jerusalem Development Company.
The company's spokesman, Nissan Kochi, initially stated in response to Ir Amim's request that Ateret Cohanim was not responsible for the tour and the project. However, two days later he added that the association's members attended professional meetings and discussions about the project, but stressed that no agreement had been signed. related and not deal in this project.
in response to the petitioners argue that "the government has not signed any agreement or commitment with the property owner - endowment - in raising concerns about a serious harm to the public interest and the risk of public funds on who will be invested in the project, the drain." in addition, the document published prospective The project shows that beyond learning and knowing the heritage, there is a desire to encourage support for activities and even Jewish settlement in the place, similar to the goals of Ateret Cohanim.
Bringing equipment to the ancient Yemenite synagogue in the village of Shiloah, about 5 years ago (Photo: Hillel Meir, TPS)
Thus the above objectives, "the experience of a visit to encourage and motivate action to some critics, as well as creating an experience you view the importance of place and support them. In addition, under the target mentioned potential donors and" interested (to live there as an example). "
In another part in the same document written Under the heading "Organizing idea", that the end of the tour should show that Jews are slowly moving to Silwan and building a life around the synagogue, and that the visitor center will allow on the one hand "experience the story of the village" but "more importantly, open visitors' hearts and who, know, wink some of them to take action and become part of the community. "
East Jerusalem development Company announces that" indeed the company is engaged in the execution of the project - construction of a visitor center at the synagogue that served the residents of Jews from Yemen who lived in the neighborhood. "the company added that" the petition of the association received In our office.
It is important to note that the decision to promote the project was made long before Ms. Michal Bruce took over as director of the company. "
"Foreign sources are trying to sabotage the dedication activity."
The Yemenite Synagogue in Silwan (Photo: Kobi Richter, TPS)
Advocate Avraham Moshe Segal, representing the Kaddish in Benvenisti, said in response that "after the various courts, including the Supreme Court, issued a very long series of rulings stating that the Kaddish is the sole owner of the Kaddish lands and that the invaders of the Kaddish lands must vacate them, "Foreign bodies are trying to sabotage the dedication activity in order to prevent the implementation of court rulings."
"The dedication was established to establish the first absorption center of the first aliyah, and was inhabited by dozens of immigrant families from the various postcards, who were forced to relocate due to the events of the Great Arab Revolt," Adv. Segal added. We do not know what a Zionist heritage is.
But it is natural that because of this, institutional elements who want to be involved in the commemoration and study of Zionism at its best have joined the cause.
As far as the idle claims are concerned, the endowment will spread the full basket of his claims before the court. "
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