Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat stood firm, defending City Hall’s continued policy of enforcing the law without discrimination, acting against illegal buildings in both the Jewish and Arab sectors of the capital.

The new Barkat administration has come under fire as the media reports there is a sharp increase in demolition orders against illegal structures in the Arab areas of the capital as compared to the previous administration of Uri Lupoliansky.

According to an Israel Radio report, Barkat signed 34 orders for demolition or sealing illegal structures in Arab areas of the capital, including apartment homes. In all of 2008, 88 illegal structures were destroyed in the Arab area of the city. The city files about 1,000 suits annually against Arabs for illegal construction in Jerusalem.

While City Hall explains the policy is not one of discrimination, but rather law-enforcement, Israel Radio reports that the residents of the Arab areas of the city have enormous difficulty obtaining building permits, compelling them to act in defiance of the law, explaining in 2008, 203 Arabs filed building plans and only 87 were approved, receiving permits for building.

In response, Mayor Barkat stated that any attempt to paint a picture of discrimination is simply baseless, insisting the city is compelled to enforce the law, in eastern and western areas of the capital. Barkat explains that during his last months in office, former Mayor Lupoliansky did not sign orders, compelling him to address the “backlog”.

The mayor insists he has not implemented and new policies, but is faced with the reality that illegal construction is ongoing and the municipality does not have the luxury of turning a blind eye.

Barkat admits that obtaining a building permit in the eastern capital is more complicated, stating that the entire process, in the eastern or western area of the capital is too bureaucratic compared to the center of the country and he hopes his administration will achieve the changes it plans, including new ordinances aimed at simplifying the process. “When the court determines a home must be razed, I am not permitted to interfere” stated the mayor.

“I remain committed to implementing change for all areas of the city, western and eastern alike”. The Knesset Audit Committee has cited Jerusalem for failing to enforce the law. On the other side, I am now condemned for enforcing the law. “Understand, when I sign an administrative order, this is not a demolition order, and the residents are permitted to appeal to the courts. I do not order the destruction of any home.”

Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) host Razi Barkai pointed out that when one destroys an illegal structure in the western capital, Hillary Clinton does not become involved. Such a move, referring to demolitions in Arab areas, is not a “municipal demolition but a political demolition”.

“This is not acceptable to me. If someone builds illegally in Central Park I believe I know what Mayor Bloomberg would do. With all due respect, I enforce the law in all areas of the city, eastern and western as one. With all due respect, if I ignore it I will be charged with turning a blind eye. Do you expect enforcement in the western areas and not the eastern…It should be clear, in most cases of razing an illegal structure, Jerusalem City Hall is not involved.”

“The process is handled by the city engineer, legal department and others if the structure is question is under construction, and then, and only then, is it brought to the mayor. If the building in question is occupied, it goes to the city attorney and the courts.”

For comparison sake, in 2008, 1,455 indictments were handed down in the eastern capital and 1,332 in the western area. 86 homes were destroyed in the eastern capital as compared to 42 in western areas.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)