(Ynet News) Moshe Dann - Bowing to pressure, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat has cut back on plans to remove 88 illegal Arab buildings from a rich archeological park in the Kidron Valley adjacent to the City of David, the ancient city of Jerusalem. According to plans announced Tuesday, Barkat proposed relocating only about 20 families in the disputed area, while giving legal status retroactively to the rest. The entire area would be renovated and restored as a garden and world-class tourist site, with an Arab residential neighborhood, shops and restaurants, including sports and healthcare centers. According to aerial photographs, the area was uninhabited until the early 1990s. The city contends that Arabs have built on public land in an archeological area and they are enforcing "the rule of law." The King's Garden, or al-Bustan ("The Garden" in Arabic), is located just below the City of David, where the Kidron and Hinnom Valleys meet. Water flowed to this area from the Gihon Spring, the ancient city's sole water source, mentioned in Kings I, 1:39, where King Solomon was anointed. The King's Garden is mentioned in many biblical and talmudic sources.
2010-03-05 08:13:47Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive