Mayor Nir Barkat is working hard to prove to Arab residents that he is trying to invest in east Jerusalem, but their media, at least, are not convinced.
By PEGGY CIDORForeign and Arab journalists at a meeting to hear about the new budget for east Jerusalem.(photo credit: JERUSALEM MUNICIPALITY)
It was perfectly organized: the big conference room in the mayor’s offices, the highly computerized setting with laptops, smart phones and an interactive screen on the wall, and a mayor surrounded by his staff ready to deliver the “good news.” Well, it did work, to a certain extent. The press conference for foreign media on the impact of the new budget for east Jerusalem apparently convinced the English-speaking journalists who took the trouble to attend, but the Arab representatives of the major Arab and Palestinian media were anything but convinced. Perhaps because they are all residents of east Jerusalem, and their daily reality still fails to match the “interesting news” that Mayor Nir Barkat conveyed.Earlier this month, some 10 journalists and photographers sat and listened to the mayor talk about the significant changes that are planned for east Jerusalem in terms of infrastructure, education, welfare and other issues that have been so neglected for the past 47 years.Barkat genuinely feels that he is the first mayor of this city who not only cares about these things but is even doing something about it. One of the first things that have changed is that the projects to develop and improve conditions there are now being promoted by a special unit in the municipality. No more the almost mission impossible led by one employee – skilled though he may be (and he definitely is), David Koren – but a real team. It is still not enough, but it is certainly better than the current situation. Koren and his new assistant, Ben Avrahami, were also at the press conference. Judging by the warmth that could be seen between Koren and some of the Arab journalists, at least on that level things look promising.Barkat explained his plans at length and went into great detail regarding his overview of the situation. To put it briefly: “We will use an iron fist with the rioters and do our best for the rest.” To some of the Arab journalists, that message sounded like the closest thing to a direct threat, to put it mildly.“He speaks like a conqueror” and “He has an agenda – he works for the settlers, not for us” were some of the comments made after Barkat ended the session and had left the room.To the question “What if, on the way, this politician improves the conditions of the Arab residents?” the answers varied from a sarcastic smile to the barely contained anger of one journalist, who simply said he was still waiting for a permit to build a second bathroom in his house in Silwan, submitted 12 years ago.At the press conference, one of the most sensitive issues came up – the ways Barkat has decided to deal with the rioters since the events of last summer.Perhaps one should have warned the mayor that the use of certain words in Arabic that have become part of Hebrew slang should be used with some caution when addressing Arabs. Police and other authorities involved in the treatment of the teenagers who throw stones and vandalize the light rail stops have reached the conclusion that these acts include a great deal of rebellion toward their parents’ generation, besides the usual political aspect of hatred of the Israeli presence.That may be, but the use of the term “These kids are playing with us abu-ali” (meaning they are kind of patronizing us) made the Arab journalists feel even more alienated, one of them told me after the meeting.Barkat is convinced that time will change these attitudes, that once the figures and the plans are implemented, most of the Arab residents will admit that he is making significant changes, despite his right-wing political views. Or perhaps precisely as a result of them. •
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