Jerusalem City Hall said it will build 40,000 new apartments in the city, including eastern Jerusalem, in the next decade.
Tuesday’s announcement includes 8,000 apartments currently being marketed throughout the city, including in eastern Jerusalem and in areas that are part of Jerusalem’s expanded city boundaries, the Jerusalem Post reported Wednesday.
The announcement comes on the heels of a housing ministry report that all building in Jerusalem will have to be approved by the prime minister and the defense minister, as is required in the West Bank. The Prime Minister’s Office denied the report.
Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupoliansky called the reported necessary approvals on construction in any area of the city, especially eastern Jerusalem, “illegal,” the Post reported. He said he would continue building.
Israel’s Channel 2 reported Tuesday that Lupoliansky approved the construction of 7,300 homes in eastern Jerusalem.
The homes reportedly are located in Gilo, Pisgat Zeev, Har Homa, Neve Yaakov and Ramot – areas that are subject to Israeli law and within the municipal jurisdiction of Jerusalem. The Palestinians claim some of this area as the capital of their future state.
