Dozens of protesters were outside Jerusalem City Hall on Wednesday evening as the city council was voting on the future of the complex operating on Shabbos, as it has been doing in the past. Both secular and religious residents were counted among the protesters. Shouts of “Chareidim and chilonim refuse to be enemies and Yerushalayim belongs to us all, and the complex mustn’t close on Shabbos. Now is the time to awaken. Tolerance is not a dirty word and together, we can leave the complex open to everyone”.

The following clarification regarding the Mitcham HaTachana vote, to close the complex on Shabbos, was issued to the media by Jerusalem City Hall on Wednesday, 2 Sivan 5778.

“In contrast to the impression that interested parties are trying to create, the issue is not just decided by the city council, but by the regional committee of the Finance Ministry, which is due to convene tomorrow.” Nir Barkat, Mayor of Jerusalem Any change in the activity of the station compound and it will continue exactly as is happening today according to the status quo and the law.”

From the words of Mayor Nir Barkat at the council meeting:

“In this city we have to know how to live together, we are all signed to the status quo and the law that says there are restaurants and places of entertainment open on Shabbat, and there is no business. This is exactly what happens in the Mitcham HaTachana and these are the rules in Jerusalem that have always allowed restaurants and entertainment places, including the Mitcham, to operate on Shabbos while enforcing the law [compelling the closure of] businesses.

“I want to remind you that 300 meters from the station compound was approved during the tenure of [chareidi mayor] Uri Lupoliansky, and [planning board head] Pollack, along with the Yes Planet complex and everyone was aware of what was going to occur on Shabbat. The Mitcham HaTachana provides a response for different sectors in the city – non-religious, non-Jewish, tourists, and this is done in a dignified manner. The compound adds great value to Jerusalem.”

Jerusalem Mayoral Candidate Moshe Leon, who hopes to receive chareidi backing for his bid for Jerusalem’s number one post said:

“They mislead the public – the city is not run via a political circus”

Leon added, “As someone who was a partner in establishing the Mitcham HaTachana complex, I am sorry that some of the council members mislead the public, since the question of continuing the ongoing activity of the site is not at all on the agenda, but only a decision regarding the regulation of the urban building plan, to which the question of the various uses of the compound was added. I call again for the preservation of the status quo – and therefore I decided not to participate in the city council discussion.”

Leon, who is Shomer Shabbat, added, “As I announced last week, I will not take part in this political circus, whose sole purpose is to divide and infuse conflict into the various sectors of the city. I understand that there are parties with political interests, and to them I say – sometimes even telling the truth is an option. For example, it is worth noting that the station compound has a valid license for exceptional use until March 2019. As part of a responsible policy, the complex must be arranged with a Taba land registry for the area and not attach it to the plan that will lead to opening the entire complex, including the JVP compound to the Rekevet Street and the government printing complex”.

After consultations with professionals and planning experts, I take full responsibility for this position and declare that once I am elected mayor, I will arrange for a complete arrangement of the entertainment area at the Mitcham HaTachana, while maintaining the status quo and preserving the place as it should be – The establishment of a team that will represent all sectors of the city in the belief that all residents of Jerusalem are entitled to enjoy the appropriate recreation areas.”

“Love for Yerushalayim will endure – for it is not just a slogan but a hashkafa. Anyone who believes he can advance goals by deepening machlokes in the city, loves himself perhaps, but not the residents of the city”, Leon concluded.

Feller Hassan-Nahum, Chairman of the Yerushalmim, responded:

“Jerusalem does not belong exclusively to the chareidim and there is no reason for them to decide about the nature of the Mitcham HaTachana. The German Colony is a pluralistic neighborhood where secular, religious and traditional Jews live in good neighborliness, and the desire of the chareidi factions to determine how to live is despicable and ugly. And a model of coexistence – on Shabbat you can find secular families in cafes, alongside their religious neighbors who come back from the synagogue, all sitting together, meeting and chatting, and this is the beauty of Jerusalem – the ability to live together despite the differences, out of mutual respect and good neighborliness. To create a barrier between the religious and the secular and we will continue to struggle for a tolerant and pluralistic city.”

Jerusalem Mayoral Candidate (Hisorarus party) Ofir Berkowitz said:

“Unfortunately, some people live together in the city and threaten them. Some people want a monolithic city that does not suit all kinds of populations. This is a declaration of war on the ability of diverse communities to live together in the city of Jerusalem.

“In the face of this declaration of war, we have formulated a broad national front, and everyone who believes in a shared life in the city is a partner to us today in this struggle. We will not let the station stop and we will do everything in our power to save the Jerusalem symbol of tolerance.”

“We will preserve Jerusalem for all sectors of the city, live and let live, and the relevance of Jerusalem to all parts of Israeli society and the Jewish people. If Jerusalem does not belong to everyone, it will not be.

“The public in Jerusalem must receive a warning sign tonight. Extreme forces must not lead this city. The real test will take place in five months, in the mayoral and city council elections. The Zionist public, the religious Zionist and the moderates must wake up, vote and take responsibility for Jerusalem. We will win.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)