(Jerusalem Post) Abe Selig - Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat on Tuesday defended the King's Garden development plan which was approved on Monday by the municipality's local planning council. "The new plan for Silwan allows for the addition of thousands of housing units for the Arab sector and the resolution of hundreds of construction violations," said a statement from the mayor's office. Jerusalem City Councilman Hilik Bar of the Labor party said: "The King's Garden plan is an important project that could have an impact on both the value of the land and the houses in Silwan, and improve the quality of life of its residents....In my opinion, Silwan residents and the residents of [King's Garden] should seriously examine the solutions offered by the mayor." State Department Spokesman P.J. Crowley said the plan "undermines trust" needed for progress in negotiations with the Palestinians.
2010-06-23 08:34:38Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive