Funded by the occupation municipality: Starting the building of a pool for the settlers in the neighborhood of Ras Al-Amoud in Silwan
The occupation authorities began drilling operations to implement the project of religious pools in a land near the settlement of Maale Ha-Zeitim established in the neighborhood of Ras Al-Amoud in Silwan south of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center explained that the occupation authorities have been carrying out wide operations of digging and drilling near the settlement of Maale Ha-Zeitim to build religious pools for settlers on a 2.5 Dunoms lands that was allocated for public use.
The center added that the settlers' committee in the settlement of Maale Ha-Zeitim headed by Aryeh King, member of Municipal Council, submitted nearly two years ago the project for building religious pools near the settlement to be used by the settlers for practicing their religious rituals (Purity). The project was ratified by the committees and the competent authorities; the municipality funded the project with nearly 1.5 million NIS.
The center pointed out that one pool will be built for males and another for females and there is a possibility to build a third pool which will be all directly connected to the settlement.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center also explained that the "Religious buildings" department in the occupation municipality is the sponsor of the project and the land has been allocated for the use of settlers only despite that it was classified as public use and therefore neglecting the needs of the residents; the land will be added to the settlement.
The center added that the occupation authorities built a 4-meter supporting wall three months ago and placed an 8-meter high fence around it (land remaining after building the religious pools), and therefore the locals of the area will be prevented from submitting any future projects for public use in the area.
The information center denounced in its statement the municipality's ratifying and funding of the project and and considered it an image of racism as the municipality allocates millions of NIS for the implementation of settlement projects while any development in the infrastructure or any building is prohibited in Silwan
