Smaller City of David Visitors' Center approved

Government approves, but orders scaled-down version of, contested Jerusalem Kedem Center. The Elad foundation contends that the compound would be instrumental in drawing tourists while the opposing NGOs denounced the center as destructive (Daniel K. Eisenbud, Jerusalem Post).

The National Planning and Building Appeals Committee approved, but ordered a scaled-down version of, the proposed Kedem Center – a highly contested visitors compound to be operated by a right-wing NGO over an active excavation site in east Jerusalem’s Silwan, opposite the Old City’s walls.

The Sunday night ruling was followed Monday morning by dueling statements claiming victory from the Ir David Foundation (Elad), which initiated the project, and the left-wing NGOs Ir Amim and Emek Shaveh, which jointly filed a petition to block it.

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There always seems to be just one more committee that needs to approve these building projects. The last report I noted seemed to imply that construction on the Center was about to begin. Well see ...