Israeli announces plan for annexation of East Jerusalem

The Israeli mayor of Jerusalem (the city has two mayors: one Israeli, one Palestinian) Uri Lupolianski announced Wednesday that his municipal government would engage in a ‘development plan’ for East Jerusalem, a plan which Palestinian residents of Jerusalem claim is actually annexation of Palestinian land for Israel.

Lupolianski presented the plan at a City Hall news conference Wednesday, stating that it is a ‘way to keep Jerusalem united’. His statement conveniently left out the fact that Jerusalem is, in fact, a city under Israeli military occupation since 1967.

"Today, unfortunately, people are busy talking about Jerusalem," Lupolianski said. "Through our actions, we will unify and strengthen Jerusalem."

His plan will involve developing a commercial center, creating new parks, and building more hotels, homes and businesses in east Jerusalem – the last part of the city from which the Palestinian population has not yet been expelled.

Lupolianski called the $50.9 million program a "Marshall Plan for east Jerusalem". Residents of East Jerusalem, however, call it a land grab for Israel.

The move comes just days before a ‘peace summit’ is set to be held in Annapolis, MD, in the US, between Israeli and Palestinian leaders. imemc