There is precious little greenery in Jerusalem's Old City. Most of it is on the Temple Mount, Judaism's holiest spot where Arab families picnic and play soccer.
The Jerusalem municipality wants to change that.
Ronen Harari, a Jewish businessman from Canada, recently approached the Jerusalem Municipality with a proposal to finance a large-scale renovation of Galicia Yard, a huge complex that dominates the market roofs in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem's Old Quarter, for NIS 15 million. This is an area that has become a popular promenade for tourists and a particularly convenient vantage point overlooking the Old City and the surrounding neighborhoods.In addition, Harari proposed renovating the Pardusi Garden complex, which is also located in the Old City, with an investment of about NIS 2 million, according to one of the proposed programs for the complex, an ornamental pool, seating areas, seating stairs for tourists and groups, and a playground.Today, Monday, the Jerusalem Municipality's donations committee is expected to approve the donation, with the agreement between Mayor Moshe Lion and Harari's representatives in Israel, the donations will be transferred directly to the Jerusalem Municipality, and the municipality will carry out the projects through the Moriah Municipalities and East Jerusalem Development Company.
As the illustration shows, the new rooftop promenades and gardens would be for all residents of the Old City to enjoy, Arab and Jew alike.
Right now the roofs are used by Arab parkour artists and skateboarders. This would open them up for all to enjoy - and it would reduce the excuse that Arab youth must play games on the Temple Mount because there is nowhere else in the Old City for them to relax.
So, of course, the Palestinian Authority is incensed.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the announcement of the occupation municipality in Jerusalem yesterday about a colonial, Jewish project that aims to establish a biblical garden for settlers on the roofs of the historic markets in Jerusalem, including planting trees and placing recreational games for settlers to change the appearance of the roofs of those markets.The ministry stated in a statement today, Thursday, that this comes within the framework of a policy aimed at falsifying the landmarks of the heart of Jerusalem and its old town and besieging Al-Aqsa, in a clear disregard for the Islamic Endowments Department and an open confiscation of its role and powers.And it considered that changing the features of the roofs of the ancient historical markets in Jerusalem is not only a crime to be held accountable by international law, and disregarding the decisions of the United Nations and its relevant specialized organizations, but rather an intended Israeli mockery of the international community and its legitimacy and decisions regarding the situation in Palestine.
I can't wait for the UN to be presented with an official letter saying that planting flowers is a war crime.