One of the Plans in Givat Hamatos is Rejected, But the Threat to the Two States Persists

18.12.12

A petit drama happened today. At the midst of the planning strike on East Jerusalem, in which 6,500 units are approved in four days, the Regional Planning Committee rejected today the plan of Givat Hamatos C – for 813 units. This rejection means that the plan is canceled, and that in case one wants to build, there should be a new plan that will pass through all the planning process.

Unfortunately, we can’t really celebrate the annulment of one of the plans in Givat Hamatos. First of all, because it is only one of the plans that are planned in Givat Hamatos, with less than ¼ of the planned units. The local planning committee will probably approve tomorrow the Givat Hamatos A plan, for 2,610 units, which is large enough to prevent a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem, and thus may prevent the two state solution.

Secondly, the reason behind the rejection of the plan has to do with one of the objections that was filed by an Israeli company that bought a small part of the land at the planned area, and is wishing to suggest an alternative plan where they propose to build 900 units on their part of land alone (in addition to potential construction on the other parts of the area). So eventually we might end up facing a new plan, that will be brought for approval, in which much more construction may be approved…