'The Israeli Ministry of Planning and municipality of Jerusalem approve new hotel building in the occupied East-Jerusalem, the Holy Basin'. In a highly tensed time as the US administration and the international community pressure for an Israeli freeze on settlements' expansion in the occupied West-Bank, demands which came clear by US President Barak Obama and many senior officials in the White House, the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem decided to respond to their call by granting the developing committees approval to build a new hotel in East Jerusalem.
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'In conversations with Israeli officials, senior American officials have made it clear that they want Israel to freeze all plans for expanding the Jewish presence in East Jerusalem, and especially in the Holy Basin – the area adjacent to the Old City'. Haaretz Daily News paper June 3 2009 |
The decision of the Israeli regional planning and building committee to approve the construction of the new hotel will lead to displace if not uprooting eventually the local Arab vegetable public market and a kindergarten (check Map # 1 below). The Israeli newly approved building come within a long streak series of Israeli violation in the occupied West Bank territory, particularly in occupied East Jerusalem as Israel continues to defy the UN resolutions particularly 242 which regards occupied West Bank territory, including occupied East Jerusalem hence any change in the demography and geography of the occupied area is illegal and considered null under international law, which also include exploit of the natural resources or change the ground status of this occupied area including land space.
Map 1: The location of the new Hotel next to the Rockfeller Museum
Source: (ARIJ GIS Unit – 2009)
All proceeded masseurs that the Israeli ministry of planning would carry out in that area would be against IHL mainly against Geneva fourth convention and thus illegal. Moreover, Israel persistent and consecutively adopted policies regarding the occupied territories in construction of settlements, outposts, bypass roads, etc are clear indication to where the Israeli stand on the peace issue with the Palestinians or the rest of the Arab territories they occupy.
'Article 53 Geneva Fourth Convention': 'any destruction by the Occupying power of real or personal property belonging individually or collectively to private persons, or to the State, or other public authorities or social or cooperative organizations is prohibited, except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations.'
The EU recently highlighted and criticized in its report 'Facts on the ground' policy the political leadership in Israel regarding the expansion and the de-facto presence in East Jerusalem. With relentless Israeli land confiscation policy and continued settlements construction versus relentless policy to demolish Palestinian houses puts at risk even more, end any proposition to end the Israeli occupation and thus any possible peace prospects particularly the proposal of two states with East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state.
'EU Head of Mission Report on East-Jerusalem': Long lasting Israeli plans for Jerusalem, now being implemented at an accelerated rate, are undermining prospects for a Palestinian capital in east Jerusalem and a sustainable tow-state solution'. The daily creation of facts on the ground in the city undermines the credibility of the Palestinian Authority and weakens popular support for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
To conclude:-
The illegal administrative measures approved by the Israeli planning committee and the Israeli municipality of occupied Jerusalem counter any undergoing attempts to resume negotiation between the Palestinians and the Israelis and a continued mockery by Israeli to the numerous UN resolutions that rejects the Israeli actions and identify them illegal of such UN SC resolution 298.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 298 adopted on September 25, 1971, after recalling previous resolutions on the topic..'"The Council deplored Israel's failure to respect the previous resolutions concerning measures and actions by Israel to affect the status of Jerusalem. The Council confirmed that all legislative and administrative actions taken by Israel to change the status of Jerusalem aimed at the incorporation of the occupied section are totally invalid and cannot change that status. The Council called on Israel to rescind all previous measures and to take no further steps in attempting to change the status of the city and requested the Secretary-General report to the Council in 60 days on the implementation of the resolution".
Prepared by:
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
