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Weeks Before Bennett's Visit to Washington: Department of Housing Promotes Huge Construction Plan in East Jerusalem
Walla!
It was learned that after more than a year of freezing, the plan to build a Jewish neighborhood of thousands of units in Atarot was placed on the agenda of the Planning and Construction Committee in the capital.
This is an early planning stage, but its progress may provoke strong political opposition in the United States and Europe. Prime Minister's Office: The move is not in line with us
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East Jerusalem
Palestinians
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Monday, 02 August 2021, 16:39 Updated: 17:12
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The Ministry of Housing is promoting a controversial plan to build a new Jewish neighborhood in Atarot in East Jerusalem, against the background of preparations for Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's first visit to the White House later this month.
This is a plan to build a neighborhood with 9,000 housing units, which changes and expands the borders of Jerusalem and crosses between Palestinian villages.
Therefore, over the years, it has provoked strong and widespread political opposition in the United States and Europe, and has been frozen and delayed by order of the Prime Minister's Office.
Walla!
It was learned that after more than a year of a freeze, the plan was placed on the agenda of the Jerusalem District Planning and Construction Committee, for discussion ahead of a deposit for public objections, which was circulated in recent days ahead of a meeting to be held in December.
This is only a very early planning stage, but giving the green light to the plan's progress towards execution, may provoke policy tensions.
Will a green light be given?
Atarot (Photo: Flash 90, Yonatan Zindel)
In the past, it was customary for any move to promote sensitive construction plans in Jerusalem to be coordinated with the Prime Minister's Office, in order to avoid political embarrassment around construction in the capital.
The Prime Minister's Office told Walla!
That the agenda for the district committee meeting does not match with them.
The office of the Minister of Housing, Zeev Elkin - whose Atarot program is promoted by his ministry - also said that this was not the minister's directive, but added that he supported in principle the thaw of construction in Atarot.
The agenda of the district committee was set by the Planning Administration, which is the responsibility of the Ministry of the Interior - but also in the office of Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked said it was not her directive, but added:
The Netanyahu government has advanced, the Trump administration top
The plan of the Ministry of Housing in Atarot, which in addition to the thousands of housing units includes commercial and employment areas in the old Atarot airport complex, was formulated during the previous minister, Yoav Galant, and submitted to the Jerusalem municipality in February 2020. Trump, since the plan of the century included plans to establish a tourist area for Palestinians in an area designated for the new neighborhood.
Towards the end of the Trump administration's tenure, Netanyahu tried to get the green light for the move again, but the White House refused. In the face of the Biden administration, all the more so, the decision to promote the construction of the neighborhood, which is considered a violation of the status quo with the Palestinians, may provoke tensions and problems.
Prime Minister Bennett is expected to meet for the first time with President Biden this month at the White House, and as reported in Walla! His top advisers - the head of the National Security Council, Eyal Hulta, and the political adviser, Shimrit Meir, are in Washington this week for a round of preparatory meetings and coordination for the visit.
A move that could create tensions with the US. Bennett (Photo: Reuters)
So far, the new government and administration in Washington have not encountered any significant conflict, and the White House is even making efforts to help the stability of the government.
Last month, it was also reported in Walla that the administration had decided to delay the reopening of the consulate in Jerusalem until after the budget was transferred in November so as not to undermine the stability of the government.
Will meet this month.
Biden (Photo: Reuters, Evelyn Hoxstein)
The construction of the Jewish neighborhood in Atarot also starred in the campaigns of right-wing parties in the last election.
According to various reports, the Likud undertook to thaw construction in the area in exchange for the unification of the National Union and Jewish power for a joint run.
Later, the right also promised to thaw the freeze in Jerusalem, and with new hope presented a plan to strengthen the city of Jerusalem, which includes an explicit commitment to build in Atarot.
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