30 East Jerusalem streets given Hebrew names, enraging Arab residents
Source: Times of Israel
Defending decision, municipality says 800 roads given Arabic names; Arab MKs slam attempt to ‘Judaicize al-Quds’
The Jerusalem municipality on Sunday night approved 30 Hebrew street names in predominantly Arab East Jerusalem neighborhoods, drawing fierce condemnation from both Arab residents and lawmakers.
The new Hebrew street names, which were okayed as part of an ongoing project to map out the neighborhoods in the east of the city, were given to areas that house Jewish historical sites, according to the municipality. Over 800 streets in East Jerusalem have already been given Arabic names, city hall said.
Around the City of David archaeological site in the Silwan neighborhood, seven streets were given Hebrew names, including “Ma’alot Ir David” and “Shir LaMa’alot,” according to the Walla news website. On the Mount of Olives, several streets were given Hebrew names reflecting Jewish ties to the site, and in Sheikh Jarrah, two streets will be called “Nahalat Shimon” and “Nahalat Yitzhak.”
The committee decided against naming a street in Sheikh Jarrah “Kohen Gadol” (High Priest), agreeing that the reference to a prominent figure in the Jewish temples would spark riots in East Jerusalem neighborhoods, which have already seen heightened tensions and repeated clashes over the Temple Mount and perceived Israeli attempts to alter the status quo at the holy site. Israel maintains that it is not seeking to change the status quo at the compound known to Muslims as al-Aqsa, the third-holiest site in Islam and most holy in Judaism.
Read more: http://www.timesofisrael.com/hebrew-street-names-okayed-for-east-jerusalem-enraging-arab-residents/
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