In a press conference, that was held yesterday in Al-Bustan neighborhood in Silwan. Speakers stressed the need to confront all the legal and physical practices of Israel, especially the demolition orders in the district of Silwan including Al-Bustan and Wadi Hilweh neighborhoods.
To preserve the history of Al-Bustan, city planning engineer, Yousef Jebreen, spoke on behalf of Palestinian city planning engineers in introducing a new alternative planning scheme. This “Alternative scheme” highlights the 17,000 buildings threatened with demolition and the 200,000 Palestinian Jerusalemites that live there.
Furthermore, Jebreen states, the goal of the current Israeli planning scheme is geopolitical control of the Old City and City of David (Silwan) at the expense of the Palestinians living in Silwan, and Sheikh Jarrah. “The alternative scheme” was presented to the Israeli municipality, and was refused by its mayor.
Sheikh Kamal Khatib asked the deputy of the Islamic movement living in ‘48 to uphold the Arab identity and Islamic holy sites and not allow Israel to continue with its present planning schemes for Silwan, Sheikh Jarrah, and other important Palestinian areas.
Lawyer Samer Rasheed spoke on behalf of the lawyers defending the residents of Silwan against the current Israeli Planning Scheme, “AM9″. This scheme bans all Palestinian- led construction in Al-Bustan and designates the neighborhood as “Green Space”. Rasheed rejects this zoning designation, asserting that Silwan is a residental neighborhood, not “Green Space” for the future expansion of the City of David.
Israel arues that Al-Bustan’s inclusion in the Planning Scheme dates back to the British Period. However, Rasheed states that Silwan was added to the Planning Scheme in 1974. The planning scheme, which includes the demolishing of the houses in Al-Bustan is a new version of an old policy. If Israel goes forward with the Al-Bustan housing demolitions it will be a gate way to more demolitions of Palestinian neighborhoods.
Al-Bustan spokesman, Adnan Al-Ghaith calls for Muslim, Arab, and international unity against the Israeli practices of the municipality of Jerusalem, including demolitions, revoking Jerusalem ID cards, the Apartheid wall, settlement expantion and the ongoing excavations toward Al-Aqsa mosque. He calls on the Muslim and Arab world as well as the international community to stand with the people of Jerusalem, specially Silwan and other targeted areas.
These talks proceeded the opening of a film titled “Silwan will Remain”. The film describs the Judaization of Silwan and the popular resistance against this movement.
