Jakarta –
Israel’s Supreme Court rejects petition to revoke approval of planned cable car project in the region East Jerusalem. The Palestinian Authority strongly condemned the decision.
The cable car project in Jerusalem will stretch for 1.4 kilometers, starting from the Mount of Olives area adjacent to the Old City, Jerusalem, to the Al-Maghariba Gate, which is one of the main gates of the Old City near the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The proposed cable car project will transport about 3,000 tourists and pilgrims every hour from western Jerusalem to areas near the Dung Gate and Old City gates in East Jerusalem in a journey of just four minutes.
As reported by Reuters and Anadolu Agency, Tuesday (17/5/2022), the decision was taken by a three-judge panel at the Israeli Supreme Court on Sunday (15/5) local time. The ruling document distributed by the Israeli Ministry of Justice shows the court decided not to intervene to reverse the Israeli government’s 2019 approval of the proposed project.
The court also confirmed that proper planning procedures were followed. Plaintiffs from both Palestine and Israel say the proposed project will change Jerusalem’s ancient landscape.
Palestinians say the cable car project will erase their legacy in areas they want to become a future state. The planned route will place a hanging cable just a few meters above their home in East Jerusalem.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned and called the cable car project an “integral part of Israel’s Judaization campaign in Jerusalem with a view to eroding its Palestinian, Islamic and Christian identity”.
“This court ruling is yet another proof that the court system is part of the Israeli occupation to fulfill its settlement and Judaization plans,” the Palestinian foreign ministry said in a statement.
Palestine also called on the United States government (US) and the international community to pressure Israel to stop the project.
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