The Ir Amim Organization For an Equitable and Stable Jerusalem has published a report Saturday indicating that “the Annapolis peace conference haslead Israel to take unilateral action vis a vie east Jerusalem instead of serving as a catalyst for heightened political negotiation en route to a peace accord.”
The organization’s report recommended that Israel not undertake any unilateral initiatives in east Jerusalem so as not to hamper the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
The report published by Ir Amim bolsters earlier data issued by the Peace Now organization lastweek. It indicates that an additional 9,617 new housing units were built in east Jerusalem following the Annapolis peace conference in November, 2007.
Furthermore, accelerated planning and construction is currently taking place on 471 housing units in settlements at the very heart of Palestinian neighborhoods.
The organization’s report also maintained that the homes of 14 Palestinian families living in east Jerusalem were razed, and that dozens of political, religious and social events held by Palestinians living in east Jerusalem were canceled by police directive.
Excavations underneath the Mugrabi Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem have resumed, indicates the report, and unauthorized archeological digs are currently taking place underneath the Muslim Quarter of east Jerusalem as well as in the Arab village of Silwan.
Ir Amim’s report states that the Annapolis peace conference provided a precious second chance for Israelis and Palestinians to finalize a formal peace accord. Peace talks culminating in a definitive peace deal were scheduled to conclude by 2008. Where as in Annapolis Prime Minister Ehud Olmert spokeof Israel’s resolute determination to pursue negotiations even on difficult core issues—Jerusalem chief among them—in the ensuing months, the report indicates, this spirit has been all but lost.
‘New wave of settlements is imminent’
One of the report’s chief conclusions is that the Annapolis peace summit proved to lead to more of the same in terms of Israel’s unilateral settlement efforts, rather than serving as a true fresh start for Israeli-Palestinian relations.
“Much of this recently approved construction lies at the very heart of Palestinian neighborhoods rather than in the city’s Jewish areas. This will greatly hamper efforts to create a future Palestinian capital in Jerusalem alongside its Jewish counterpart,” states the report.
“Israel is taking unilateral action to create its own de facto borders in Jerusalem in spite of ongoing peace talks,” reads the report, “this new wave of settlements, coupled with ongoing excavations, often in some of the city’s most sensitive and hotly disputed regions, deals a fatal blow to future negotiations regarding the future of the city.”
The report further states that “these unilateral efforts do much to erode trust and goodwill between Israel and the Palestinians, and could serve to lead to a dangerous escalation in violence throughout Jerusalem. It appears, however, that Israel insists on pursuing these aggressive actions and thereby endangering the fragile peace process.”
The Ir Amim report recommends that “Israel freeze construction in east Jerusalem while peace negotiations are on going, stop undertaking archeological excavations funded by special interests group in holy, sensitive sites throughout the city, avoid razing Palestinian homes in east Jerusalem unless this seriously compromises public welfare and safety, and initiate numerous trust building measures to repair relations with the Palestinians.”