Israeli plan for East Jerusalem receives Palestinian reception

JERUSALEM – Israeli half-billion-dollar project to develop Palestinian areas in East Jerusalem and lift people out of poverty receives a warm welcome from the part of the supposed people Israel hopes that the program will improve the living conditions in impoverished Palestinian neighborhoods and allow residents to access the robust economy of Israel. But the long neglected Palestinian community in the city sees the project with deep skepticism and mistrust, fearing that this will be a way to consolidate Israel's control over the eastern sector after more than 50 years of occupation. . Said Ziad Hammoury, who heads the Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights, an advocacy group. "It's more and more controlling in East Jerusalem."

The "Leading Change" program, opened in May, aims to reduce the huge social gaps between Palestinian neighborhoods and the western part of the city. After years of neglect, Palestinian neighborhoods suffer from poor infrastructure and poor public services, and nearly 80 percent of Palestinian families in the city live in poverty.

The program will invest 2 billion shekels, or $ 560 million Palestinian women enter the labor market. The money will be spent for various programs, including nine pilot projects, over five years with the aim of attracting other government and private investments.

The program was instituted by the nationalist government of Israel. He opposes any division of the city but seems to have concluded that the strengthening of the Palestinian areas of Jerusalem is also in the interest of Israel.

"All who truly believe in a unified Jerusalem and aspire to full sovereignty must act with determination." Zeev Elkin, the government minister for Jerusalem affairs, said at the launch of the project. Elkin should play a leading role in the implementation of the program, and he presents himself to the mayor of Jerusalem in this year's elections.

The program's designers say they recognize political sensitivities but argue that the economic benefits will be real. "It's a population like the others. It deserves to receive public services like everyone else, "said Shaul Meridor, head of the budget department of the Ministry of Finance." Economically, it is very clear to everyone that if we help this population to be in better shape , they will benefit and everyone else too. "

Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East War and annexed it is not internationally recognized. Is like an indivisible part of its capital, while Palestinians seek the region, which houses the most sensitive holy places of the city, as the capital of a future state.

Palestinians represent 37% of the population from Jerusalem, 19659019] Tia Goldenberg is an author of the Associated Press.