|
Developer delays controversial housing project in East Jerusalem
July 26, 1997
Web posted at: 2:11 p.m. EDT (1811 GMT)JERUSALEM (CNN) -- The construction of controversial new Jewish housing in an Arab neighborhood of East Jerusalem has been delayed amid Palestinian threats of renewed violence.
"As of now, the decision is not to let it go ahead and that is precisely what is going to happen," said David Bar-Illan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's communications chief.
Israeli Army radio reported Saturday that American real estate developer Irvin Moscowitz had postponed plans to build 65 homes on 3 1/2 acres in the Ras el-Amud neighborhood of the city.
The radio report said that Miami millionaire Moscowitz had telephoned Netanyahu and said that construction would not begin.
Moscowitz said he feared that "political elements" would stop the work once it got started, and that he would therefore prefer to wait until the controversy died down, the radio reported.
Jerusalem's city government had approved the construction plan Thursday night, despite apparent opposition by Netanyahu and renewed warnings by Palestinians that the construction might spark fresh violence.
The chief Palestinian representative in Jerusalem, Faisal Husseini, said Saturday that the city's decision was "another serious provocation and another clear invitation for more clashes and for ending the peace process."
Ahmed Tibi, an adviser to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, told Israel's Army Radio that Palestinian patience has already been strained to the breaking point and said the announcement was tantamount to a war declaration.
"This is a conscious declaration of war against the Palestinians in East Jerusalem and the Palestinians in general," Tibi said. "It is total defiance of the spirit of the signed (peace) agreement. What more can be expected of the Palestinians?"
Earlier this year, Netanyahu's controversial decision to build Jewish housing in a disputed neighborhood on the outskirts of East Jerusalem sparked violent protests in the West Bank, and effectively halted the peace process.
But now, some political analysts say, he may have no choice but to take the Palestinian side, in order to prevent further Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Correspondent Jerrold Kessel and Reuters contributed to this report.
- Message Board: Palestine - Land of Conflict
- Newsmaker Profile: Benjamin Netanyahu - Israeli Prime Minister
- Newsmaker Profile: Yasser Arafat - Palestinian Leader
Related stories:
- Netanyahu takes Palestinian side on new Jewish project - July 25, 1997
- Reports: Israel plans more housing in disputed areas - April 30, 1997
- Israel approves expansion of West Bank settlements - April 2, 1997
Related sites:
Note: Pages will open in a new browser windowExternal sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
Sound off on our message boards
Tell us what you think!
You said it...
© 1997 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.