JERUSALEM
The Municipality of Jerusalem, administratively connected to Israel, plans to seize land at Beit Hanina in the north of Jerusalem to build 1,500 new Jewish residences.
In a statement released, the Planning Committee of the Municipality of Jerusalem said that they would make use of land in Jerusalem's north for the construction of 1,500 Jewish residences.
Speaking to the Anadolu Agency (AA), the Manager of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Nacih Bakirat, emphasized that "the whole world needed to know that we are fighting for 1 percent of land in Jerusalem."
"The face of avenues and schools in Jerusalem has changed. Historic buildings were converted into synagogues. We are alone in defending Jerusalem," Bakirat stressed.
On the other hand, the Spokesperson for the Palestinian government in Gaza, Tahir en-Nunu warned that efforts to Judaize Jerusalem and forcing the locals to migrate would be a reason for clashes.
On February 7, the Israeli army demolished some historic buildings close to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and destroyed one home and three gardens of Palestinians in the south of Al-Aqsa Mosque on January 28 arguing that the home and gardens were made without permission.
The Tel Aviv administration demolished a mosque in Al-Khalil city in the West Bank in January. On December 26, 2012, the Tel Aviv administration took a decision to demolish 51 homes of Palestinians in the cities of Beytullahim, Al-Khalil and Nablus cities.
The Municipality of Jerusalem, working under the Tel Aviv administration, permitted changing Arabic names of streets into Hebrew names, the construction of synagogues and restoration of buildings close to the Wailing Wall.
