Appearing before the Knesset Law Committee, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat told MKs that Jerusalem City Hall will be granting retroactive building permits for some illegal Arab sector construction in the vicinity of the City of David. The mayor was referring in particular to the area known as the King’s Garden, pertaining to over 40 illegal Arab structures on the area dating back to the First Beis HaMikdosh as documented by experts.

The mayor explained he is trying to find an acceptable line between the city’s plans for the area’s development and the realities on the ground resulting from the illegal construction. He added that 63 illegal structures were razed in the eastern capital in 2008 and 49 in the western capital.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)