Mini Zoning Plan for Nine Neighbors in Beit Hanina
Beit Hanina is a Palestinian village within the Municipality of Jerusalem and Lottari is an area within Beit Hanina. The municipality of Jerusalem has actively discouraged and often prevented zoning or planning in Occupied East Jerusalem's Palestinian neighborhoods, limiting Palestinian neighborhoods growth while promoting the growth of Jewish neighborhoods.
In August 2003, while rebuilding the Shawamreh home for the 5th time in constructive resistance, volunteers went to Beit Hanina to save the Jabari home from demolition in the Lottari District (see film, “On the Ground: Witness, Resist, Rebuild”). After Khader Jabari's home was demolished, the Rebuilding Alliance and its volunteers sought to do our best to find a way to rebuild it. Volunteers worked with the family to address housing, health, employment, and education needs.
In planning the reconstruction project, we learned that the Jabaris and their eight surrounding neighbors would benefit from a mini zoning plan because it would guarantee their rights to their homes on their own land.
We ask your help to complete the detailed land survey and land acquisition for roads that is required for a mini-zoning plan for this Beit Hanina neighborhood district, in accordance with the rules of the Jerusalem municipality. This mini-plan, if approved, may extend recent legal precedents in favor of neighborhood-based zoning and planning by Palestinian homeowners in East Jerusalem and assure the stability of our future reconstruction project. If the plan is not approved, and the families still wish to proceed with reconstruction, the Rebuilding Alliance will raise funds to rebuild the home(s) in constructive resistance.
Here's a Beit Hanina Brief by Sarah Williams esq., who is also on the Rebuilding Alliance Board.
Two of the six homes still standing have received "Closure" orders requiring them to brick-up their windows. They expect to receive demolitions orders within 6 months time. Therefore, the neighbors would like to complete the mini-zoning plan as soon as possible as the only way to save their homes.
