Yerushalayim Answers U.N. Condemnation With New Housing Plans

The Municipality of Yerushalayim will have its say in the global uproar over the U.N. Security Council vote condemning Israel, as it prepares to approve hundreds of housing units over the Green Line on Wednesday.

In response to what the council characterized as an “illegal” and “flagrant violation” of international law, the Local Committee for Building and Construction is prepared to approve the construction of 618 homes, Haaretz reported on Monday. These include 262 in Ramat Shlomo, 216 in Ramot, and 142 in Pisgat Zeev.

In addition, the municipality’s District Zoning Committee is slated to convene on Wednesday to move forward on the construction of 5,600 more residential units in Gilo, Ramot and Givat Hamatos, according to Israel Hayom.

Mayor Nir Barkat declared last month that he would never relinquish the right to build in the capital, despite international pressure.

“The Local Committee for Building and Construction has no line,” he told the Post. “Everything that comes to the Local Committee, we approve. On the District Committee, which is national, sometimes there are [barriers] for projects that are awaiting approval.

“On the local side, I basically said to everyone: ‘I’m not ever going to stop building. No construction will be stopped by me as mayor.’”