"United Jerusalem is the capital of the Jewish people. Our sovereignty cannot be challenged, and Jerusalem residents can buy apartments anywhere in the city," said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the opening of today's cabinet meeting. "
Netanyahu was responding to reports that the White House has demanded that the new Israeli government stop construction of a residential project in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah.
Netanyahu went on, "We cannot accept Jews not having the right to live and build in Jerusalem. What would happen if Jews could not live in neighborhoods in New York, Paris, or Rome? We cannot consent to such an edict about Jerusalem."
Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Lieberman added, "Thousands of Arab families buy homes in Jerusalem neighborhoods, and we've never heard any comment on the matter from the US or European governments."
A new dispute is fermenting between Israel and the US, this time over Jerusalem. Hebrew dailies "Yediot Ahronot" and "Ma'ariv" report that the White House has made a new demand of Netanyahu: to halt construction of a residential project in Sheikh Jarrah. The reports say that Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Oren was summoned for a meeting with State Department officials, who told him outright that Israel must stop its construction activities at the Shepherd Hotel lot in east Jerusalem, which is owned by Irving Moskowitz.
The Jerusalem municipality issued a statement on the matter, saying, "The Local Planning Committee of the Jerusalem Municipality operates according to equal criteria for all issues of construction permits, without regard to race, creed, gender, religion, or national identity of the resident or property owner. The acquisition of the land that includes the Shepherd Hotel was legal and received the necessary renovation and construction permits. The Municipality of Jerusalem’s Planning Committee looks only at the congruence of the planning and the law. According to the High Court of Israel, Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike can purchase land in all parts of the city of Jerusalem. For example, there are Arab residents living in French Hill. The Municipality acts in full transparency and has presented the plans, including to the representatives of the British and US Consulates in Jerusalem. Not only were 20 apartments approved, but a number of conditions that include the preservation of the historic structure were prescribed by the committee."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on July 19, 2009
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