By JPOST.COM STAFF
Right-wing organizations on Thursday blasted a decision by Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat to turn a hill near the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Anata into public property, despite expressing support for building a Jewish neighborhood on the land during his election campaign, Army Radio reported.
According to the plan approved by the municipality, a construction waste disposal site will be established on the outskirts of the Shuafat refugee camp, and in 20 years time it will be declared a public open area.
Aryeh King, an activist connected to building projects in east Jerusalem, expressed disappointment with Barkat's decision not to build a Jewish neighborhood on the land and vowed to fight against the move.
"Once the decision is final, we will open a front against the mayor who is forfeiting 180 dunams of state lands for use that is of no benefit for the Jewish people," Army Radio quoted King as saying.
The Jerusalem Municipality has been criticized in recent days by the US and the Palestinian Authority for authorizing the construction of buildings for Jewish families in east Jerusalem.