Arabs claim property in poor area of East Jerusalem

Calcutta News.Net
Wednesday 3rd March, 2010

The mayor of Jerusalem has been told to back off on a plan to demolish an area of Arab East Jerusalem for an upmarket area of hotels and parks.

The project, called the King's Garden, has been temporarily delayed after a request from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

As Mayor Nir Barkat was preparing to open the project, Mr Netanyahu, acting on warnings of violence from rights groups, rang to say the mayor should carry out more public consultation.

While the Israelis had promoted the construction project as a means of beautifying what they call an Arab slum area, Palestinians have claimed it as land set aside as part of a prospective capital.

Later, the public launch went ahead half-heartedly, with a presentation of models for a new tourist district, thought to be the location of a garden where King David wrote his psalms.

Under the King's Garden plan, residents would be moved to an alternative location, and another 66 homes occupied by Jews would be legally recognised.

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