A Jerusalem planning body this week approved a plan to raze 22 Palestinian homes in east Jerusalem to make room for a tourist center, a decision that could raise tensions in the divided city and deepen the conflict with the Obama administration.
Back in March, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had pressured Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat to hold up the plan so authorities could consult with Palestinians losing their homes — a delay that appeared to be aimed at fending off U.S. criticism.
Final approval, which would require an Interior Ministry green light, could take many more months.
The plan calls for the construction of shops, restaurants, art galleries and a large community center on the site where some say the biblical King David wrote his psalms. The 22 displaced families would be allowed to build homes elsewhere in the neighborhood, though it is not clear who would pay for them.
The Prime Minister’s Office said Netanyahu “hopes that since this project is only in a preliminary stage, that the dialogue can continue.” — ap