In wake of int'l condemnation, Netanyahu's
bureau defends construction of Jewish homes in
e. J'lem neighborhood: "State of Israel can't ban
Jews purchasing private property in J'lem"
The Prime Minister's Office on Monday defended
the bulldozing of the old Shepherd Hotel in east
Jerusalem that has drawn international
condemnation.
In a statement, Prime Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu's bureau said that actions undertaken
Sunday at the Shepherd Hotel were conducted by
private individuals in accordance with Israeli law.
The Israeli government was not involved."
The statement went on to explain that "there
should be no expectation that the State of Israel
will impose a ban on Jews purchasing private
property in Jerusalem. No democratic
government would impose such a ban on Jews
and Israel will certainly not do so."
"Just as Arab residents of Jerusalem can buy or
rent property in predominantly Jewish
neighborhoods in Jerusalem, Jews can buy or
rent property in predominantly Arab
neighborhoods in Jerusalem," the statement
added.
Earlier on Monday, Egypt and Jordan criticized
Israel for the demolition, AFP reported. The two
countries also warned against a violent backlash
in the wake of the demolition.
The Egyptian Foreign Affairs issued a statement
claiming that continuing Israeli settlement projects
will cause a "new explosion of violence" in the
West Bank.
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton also
strongly criticized Israel for the demolition of the
vacant but historic hotel in east Jerusalem, saying
that the move undermines US efforts to restart
stalled peace talks.
In a statement released from Abu Dhabi, where
she was beginning a tour of the Persian Gulf,
Clinton said late Sunday that the destruction of the
Shepherd Hotel to make way for a new Jewish
housing development "contradicts the logic" of
Israel and the Palestinians negotiating a solution to
their differences over Jerusalem, one of the most
explosive issues in Israeli-Palestinian
peacemaking. Clinton said the United States is
"very concerned" about the demolition.
Demolition of the Shepherd Hotel, in east
Jerusalem ’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, began at
dawn on Sunday.
It came after a long battle over construction rights
that drew condemnation from US President
Barack Obama and other leaders around the
world over the past few years.
The hotel, which was built in the 1930s by the
mufti of Jerusalem Haj Muhammad Amin al-
Husseini (1921- 1948), was bought in 1985 by
American millionaire Irving Moskowitz, who has
bankrolled other Jewish housing projects in Arab
neighborhoods in the capital. Moskowitz,
partnering with the Ateret Cohanim organization,
plans to turn the complex into 20 apartments for
religious Jewish families.
Source: http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=202950
bureau defends construction of Jewish homes in
e. J'lem neighborhood: "State of Israel can't ban
Jews purchasing private property in J'lem"
The Prime Minister's Office on Monday defended
the bulldozing of the old Shepherd Hotel in east
Jerusalem that has drawn international
condemnation.
In a statement, Prime Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu's bureau said that actions undertaken
Sunday at the Shepherd Hotel were conducted by
private individuals in accordance with Israeli law.
The Israeli government was not involved."
The statement went on to explain that "there
should be no expectation that the State of Israel
will impose a ban on Jews purchasing private
property in Jerusalem. No democratic
government would impose such a ban on Jews
and Israel will certainly not do so."
"Just as Arab residents of Jerusalem can buy or
rent property in predominantly Jewish
neighborhoods in Jerusalem, Jews can buy or
rent property in predominantly Arab
neighborhoods in Jerusalem," the statement
added.
Earlier on Monday, Egypt and Jordan criticized
Israel for the demolition, AFP reported. The two
countries also warned against a violent backlash
in the wake of the demolition.
The Egyptian Foreign Affairs issued a statement
claiming that continuing Israeli settlement projects
will cause a "new explosion of violence" in the
West Bank.
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton also
strongly criticized Israel for the demolition of the
vacant but historic hotel in east Jerusalem, saying
that the move undermines US efforts to restart
stalled peace talks.
In a statement released from Abu Dhabi, where
she was beginning a tour of the Persian Gulf,
Clinton said late Sunday that the destruction of the
Shepherd Hotel to make way for a new Jewish
housing development "contradicts the logic" of
Israel and the Palestinians negotiating a solution to
their differences over Jerusalem, one of the most
explosive issues in Israeli-Palestinian
peacemaking. Clinton said the United States is
"very concerned" about the demolition.
Demolition of the Shepherd Hotel, in east
Jerusalem ’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, began at
dawn on Sunday.
It came after a long battle over construction rights
that drew condemnation from US President
Barack Obama and other leaders around the
world over the past few years.
The hotel, which was built in the 1930s by the
mufti of Jerusalem Haj Muhammad Amin al-
Husseini (1921- 1948), was bought in 1985 by
American millionaire Irving Moskowitz, who has
bankrolled other Jewish housing projects in Arab
neighborhoods in the capital. Moskowitz,
partnering with the Ateret Cohanim organization,
plans to turn the complex into 20 apartments for
religious Jewish families.
Source: http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=202950
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