Israel to build 9-story yeshiva in East Jerusalem

Plans for a 9-story Jewish ultra-Orthodox seminary to be built in Jerusalem’s densely-populated Palestinian neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, were submitted today.

By i24news – AFP

 

Jerusalem’s planning committee moved forwards on Wednesday with plans to build a nine-story Jewish seminary in the heart of a densely-populated Palestinian neighborhood near the Old City.

Israel's controversial separation barrier surrounds the Ras Khamis neighbourhood of East Jerusalem, on November 12, 2013 ( Ahmad Gharabli (AFP) )

Plans for the new tower block, to be built in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Arab east Jerusalem, were deposited for consultation, giving the public 60 days to submit any objections, settlement watchdog Peace Now said.

“It’s a plan for a nine-story, ultra-Orthodox yeshiva in Sheikh Jarrah which was deposited today for objections,” spokesperson Lior Amihai told AFP.

“The plan was supposed to be discussed and approved a few weeks ago, however it was postponed — most probably due to political reasons,” he said.

“It’s not a game changer but it’s on a piece of land in Sheikh Jarrah which has already suffered a lot. It’s a very sensitive area and I think the prime minister knows it.”

Israel captured east Jerusalem during the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognized by the international community.

It considers all of Jerusalem its “eternal, indivisible” capital and does not see construction in the eastern sector as settlement building.

The Palestinians want east Jerusalem as capital of their promised state, which is currently being discussed in US-led negotiations with Israel that are struggling to make headway ahead of an April deadline.

Both the Palestinians and the international community consider all Israel construction on land seized in 1967 to be a violation of international law.

 

View original i24NEWS publication at: http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/middle-east/140212-israel-to-build-tower-block-in-east-jerusalem