Yerushalayim Deputy Mayor Yehoshua Pollack has instructed his staff to ignore a court order targeting a 7-story building constructed by Ateret Kohanim as part of ongoing efforts to expand the Jewish presence in currently predominately Arab areas of the eastern capital.
Beit Yonatan was constructed in 2002, and the courts have determined the structure is illegal, approving an order to oust inhabitants and seal off the building. The case found itself in front of the Supreme Court twice in the past 18 months. The most recent appeal by inhabitants of the structure was rejected by a district court in recent weeks.
According to a Haaretz report, the city’s legal experts have explained the court order leaves City Hall with no alternative, but Pollack is not giving up and is seeking a way to save the building and the residents from eviction. Jerusalem legal authority Yossi Chavilov is quoted as saying that not executing the court order would be interpreted by the Arab community as favoritism towards the Jewish sector.
Left-wing City Councilman Netanel is calling Pollack’s actions disgraceful, decrying the fact that such orders against the Arab sector are indeed implemented while City Hall is turning a blind eye when it deals with illegal construction among Jews.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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One Response
This area belongs to the Jews! Only because of this evil dictatorship was nothing authorized.
If this building is sealed, then we must get rid of the knesset and the courts, as they are also illegal!