In E. Jerusalem, Evacuation Orders Canceled for Controversial Residence
The Jerusalem Municipality on Monday canceled the distribution of evacuation orders for a residential building erected by nationalist Jews in the heart of an Arab neighborhood in East Jerusalem.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat bowed to pressure from legal officials last Wednesday and ordered the municipality to begin preparations for the evacuation and sealing of the building known as “Beit Yonatan.”
In a letter to State Prosecutor Moshe Lador, Barkat pledged to enforce the court order to evacuate the structure, though he added that he was doing so under protest.
Inspectors were meant to arrive in the neighborhood of Silwan on Monday to issue the evacuation orders, but police said that this type of activity must be coordinated with them.
“Contrary to reports, there was no coordination Monday between the Jerusalem Municipality and the district police regarding distribution of evacuation orders in Silwan,” the statement from Jerusalem Police said. “Any activity of this kind must be coordinated and this one was not coordinated with any police official.”
Jerusalem deputy mayor David Harari and city council member Elisha Peleg (Likud) arrived at the house on Monday in a show of support for its residents.
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