Published on 10 September 2014 Written by Alternative Information Center (AIC)
A view of the last land reserve in East Jerusalem's Issawiya, which has been confiscated for construction of a national park/Photo: AIC
The Jerusalem municipality decided today to re-examine the proposal to construct a national park on lands confiscated from the East Jerusalem neighbourhoods of Issawiya and A-Tur.
Following an appeal submitted by the Israeli planning rights group Bimkom, the municipal appeals committee decided to send the plan for the Eastern Slopes National Park, to be constructed on land between Issawiya and A-Tur, back for an additional hearing at the district committee.
The appeals committee approved the future existence of the national park, but clarified that park borders cannot be set without examining the needs of the village residents in the two villages.
In the words of the committee: "Concerning the borders of the park - a sufficient infrastructure was not presented to us which includes an analysis of the needs of the population of the appealing neighbourhoods and an examination of the existing reservesfor development. Such an examination is an obligatory condition for taking a decision concerning the borders of the national park on the basis of the necessary considerations in the matter.
The Follow-Up Committee of Issawiya and A-Tur has explicitly requested to thank the Israeli and international organisations and activists who worked alongside the residents to make this happen.
The area taken for the park is the small parcel of land which remains for the two communities to expand and live a life of dignity. Through the creation of this national park, Israel aims to create a territorial continuity from Jerusalem in the direction of E1, and the West Bank settlement of Ma'ale Adumim.
http://www.alternativenews.org/english/index.php/regions/jerusalem/8454-update-jerusalem-to-re-examine-planned-national-park
