Reclaiming Jewish Property in Jerusalem
Hillel Fendel 27 Tammuz 5769/July 19, 2009
(IsraelNN.com) With the Obama administration turning the corkscrews upon Israeli sovereignty in its capital, the spotlight focuses once again on the growing Jewish presence in neighborhoods such as Shimon HaTzaddik. Arab squatters face eviction this week.
The U.S. State Department has made an unprecedented demand upon its ally Israel to stop lawful construction in its capital – specifically, at a property owned by activist Dr. Irving Moskowitz in the eastern Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. The municipal housing plan calls for the site of the Shepherd Hotel to become a 20-unit apartment complex. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and other government ministers have categorically rebuffed the American ultimatum, as did Ambassador Michael Oren when he was called to the State Department to hear the U.S. demand.
Arabs in Shimon HaTzaddik Face Eviction
Just below the hotel, seven Jewish families and an all-day Torah-study program, known as a Kollel, are trying to renew the old Jewish neighborhood of Shimon HaTzaddik. Several Arab families that have squatted on the property since Jordan took control of eastern Jerusalem in 1948 continue to refuse to leave – and face possible eviction this week.
For those of you unfamiliar with Jerusalem geography, the Shimon HaTzadiq neighbor is just on the other side of Kvish (Road) No. 1 from the Ma'aloth Dafnah and Shmu'el HaNavi neighborhoods, and only a hop, skip, and a jump away from the Me'ah She'arim, Beis Yisroel, and Morasha (Musrara) neighborhoods.
Let's put some of that left over Haredi anger and energy to good use.
Nah. Never happen. No one wants to get together on this, although I am sure that Land of Israel activists might welcome it.
I guess we'll have to rely on the continued efforts of the bored "Shabbabniqim" from the above mentioned neighborhoods, who often go out tho protect the grave sites in the area from Yishma'eli vandalism.
Do not underestimate this group of bored and searching, sometimes disgruntled, Haredi youth.
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