Kedem Center ruling reversed

THE DOWNSIZING HAS BEEN UPSIZED AGAIN: Israeli Agency OKs Right-wing NGO's Plans to Build Large Visitors' Center in East Jerusalem. After pressure from the Justice Ministry, the National Planning and Building Council overturns a decision to limit the size of the center, which the Elad group is planning to build in Silwan (Yair Ettinger, Haaretz).

he National Planning and Building Council ruled this week that a right-wing organization can build a 16,000-square-meter center in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, overturning the decision by the council’s appeals subcommittee limiting the size to 10,000 square meters.

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked had pushed for the reversal of the size restrictions on the center planned by the Elad group. The facility will cover 16,000 square meters and tower seven stories over the Givati parking lot, adjacent to the walls of the Old City.

The national zoning panel reopened debate on the issue after Justice Ministry Director General Emi Palmor took the unusual step of attending a council meeting in January that voted on the proposal.

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There always seems to be one more meeting or one more appeal that changes the plan for this Center. I think we'll just have to wait and see what ends up being built, if something eventually is.

Background here and links.