* Located Within Jerusalem's Municipal Boundaries: Har Homa is
located in the southern part of Jerusalem near Kibbutz Ramat Rachel
and Gilo. The 1,850 dunam site is fully within Jerusalem's
municipal boundaries.
* Eases Jerusalem's Housing Shortage: The building project at Har
Homa is slated to take place in two stages and will ultimately
include 6,500 housing units, as well as schools, parks, public
buildings, and commercial and industrial zones. In the first stage,
2,456 housing units will be built.
The Har Homa project will ease the housing shortage in Jerusalem
and provide residents with a wider array of housing options.
* Most Expropriated Land was Jewish-Owned: In order to implement
the Har Homa construction project, it was necessary in years past
to expropriate land, most of it Jewish-owned. Approximately 1,400
of the 1,850 dunams at the site, or 75%, were expropriated from
Jews, while nearly 450 dunams, or 25%, were owned by Arabs. No new
expropriations are necessary to implement the building project at
Har Homa.
* Approved by the High Court of Justice: The High Court of
Justice rejected appeals by both Jewish and Arab landowners and
approved the expropriations. The expropriations were undertaken on
the basis of the fundamental common law principle of eminent
domain, allowing governments to expropriate land from private
owners for public use. In a decision issued on December 22, 1994,
the Court concluded, "There is no other option for constructing the
neighborhood other than expropriating the land, and building the
neighborhood as planned by the state."
As the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin said in the Knesset on May
15, 1995, "Building Jerusalem, like any other city, sometimes
requires confiscating land both for construction needs and for
public needs, like roads, schools, kindergartens, and community
facilities. It has always been this way in Israel."
* Consistent With Oslo: Despite Palestinian claims to the
contrary, Israel's policy is fully consistent with the terms of the
Oslo Accords.
Neither the Declaration of Principles of September 13, 1993 nor the
Interim Agreement ("Oslo 2") of September 28, 1995 contains any
provisions prohibiting or restricting Israel's right to undertake
construction projects in areas under Israel's jurisdiction.
* Construction for All Communities in Jerusalem: Prime Minister
Netanyahu believes that the peace process must not stop the
development of Jerusalem for Jewish and Arab residents alike. He
has called for a new construction initiative throughout the Arab
neighborhoods of Jerusalem.
Israel Government Press Office, Jerusalem 25 February, 1997
Note From OU Online For Americans: US Law recognizes Jerusalem as the Undivided Capital of the State of Israel. The President must apply US law when making policy decisions of this magnitude. Any statements calling on Israel to curb building in its capital are in direct contrast to this law and must be stopped.
You can also go to AIPAC's Web Site at http://www.aipac.org for additional updates and
for your members e-mail address and phone numbers.
Please bookmark this page and come back frequently for timely updates and links.
Please do not stay silent!!
Every voice that is heard DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!
