The Knesset Interior Committee has asked the Jerusalem Municipality to freeze a large housing project - 20,000 units - for two years. Many environmentalist groups object to what is known as the Safdie Project, saying it will destroy an important green area on the outskirts of the capital. It is currently slated for the hills in southwestern Jerusalem, south of Hadassah Hospital in Ein Karem and Mt. Orah.
The Interior Committee held a meeting in Jerusalem's City Hall last week, and recommended that the city encourage other construction options within the built-up areas of the city. MK Yigal Yasinov (Shinui), a representative of the Knesset Environment Forum, took part in the meeting as well. He said, "There is no doubt that we must provide a solution to the city's current problems. The city must expand and develop - but at the same time we must not destroy the green belt around the city, because we received it as an inheritance and we must preserve it for the coming generations. We must be wary of hasty measures."
Rivka Shraga, spokesperson for the Jerusalem Development Company that is overseeing the project, told Arutz-7's Hillel Fendel today that the project will encompass 26,000 square meters (6.4 acres), "of which some 80% will be parks that are interspersed with the building compounds."
Environmentalist groups have come up with a list of close to 150 areas within Jerusalem in which, they claim, over 100,000 apartments could be built or are in the process of being built. These include 600 in the Shneller Compound in Geulah; 600 in western Givat Sha'ul; 400 in Ramat Beit HaKerem; 800 in the Holyland Hotel area; 5,000 in Har Homa; 60 in the compound known as the Jerusalem Post building in Romema; 100 in Nachlaot; etc. They further claim that heavy population of the western part of the city will further weaken the city center, encourage private vehicle use, distance the city center from the Old City, and 'waste' the infrastructures in other neighborhoods, such as schools.
The Greens further claim that only 40,000-60,000 new apartments are needed in Jerusalem over the coming two decades.
Ms. Shraga said in response that even the Greens know that their list is not realistic: "That list cannot provide even 15,000 apartments over the next 20 years. They themselves object to construction in some of those areas, such as Ramat Eshkol and Pisgat Ze'ev."
Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupoliansky says that 100,000 new units are needed to meet Jerusalem's needs over the coming two decades.
City Engineer Uri Sheetrit explained at the meeting that residents are leaving Jerusalem chiefly because of sparse employment opportunities and the high prices of apartments. He said that land for construction is available only in the western part of the city.
MK Yasinov said, "If the Knesset can help the city to build even 10,000 new units inside the city, this will be sufficient to enable the city to freeze this project."
The Interior Committee held a meeting in Jerusalem's City Hall last week, and recommended that the city encourage other construction options within the built-up areas of the city. MK Yigal Yasinov (Shinui), a representative of the Knesset Environment Forum, took part in the meeting as well. He said, "There is no doubt that we must provide a solution to the city's current problems. The city must expand and develop - but at the same time we must not destroy the green belt around the city, because we received it as an inheritance and we must preserve it for the coming generations. We must be wary of hasty measures."
Rivka Shraga, spokesperson for the Jerusalem Development Company that is overseeing the project, told Arutz-7's Hillel Fendel today that the project will encompass 26,000 square meters (6.4 acres), "of which some 80% will be parks that are interspersed with the building compounds."
Environmentalist groups have come up with a list of close to 150 areas within Jerusalem in which, they claim, over 100,000 apartments could be built or are in the process of being built. These include 600 in the Shneller Compound in Geulah; 600 in western Givat Sha'ul; 400 in Ramat Beit HaKerem; 800 in the Holyland Hotel area; 5,000 in Har Homa; 60 in the compound known as the Jerusalem Post building in Romema; 100 in Nachlaot; etc. They further claim that heavy population of the western part of the city will further weaken the city center, encourage private vehicle use, distance the city center from the Old City, and 'waste' the infrastructures in other neighborhoods, such as schools.
The Greens further claim that only 40,000-60,000 new apartments are needed in Jerusalem over the coming two decades.
Ms. Shraga said in response that even the Greens know that their list is not realistic: "That list cannot provide even 15,000 apartments over the next 20 years. They themselves object to construction in some of those areas, such as Ramat Eshkol and Pisgat Ze'ev."
Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupoliansky says that 100,000 new units are needed to meet Jerusalem's needs over the coming two decades.
City Engineer Uri Sheetrit explained at the meeting that residents are leaving Jerusalem chiefly because of sparse employment opportunities and the high prices of apartments. He said that land for construction is available only in the western part of the city.
MK Yasinov said, "If the Knesset can help the city to build even 10,000 new units inside the city, this will be sufficient to enable the city to freeze this project."