J'lem merchants to protest light rail construction
Claim construction has adversely affected their businesses, demand municipality immediately stop the work.
By ETGAR LEFKOVITSjerusalem light rail (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Hundreds of Jerusalem merchants are planning to hold a protest at city hall on Monday against the light rail infrastructure work on Jaffa Road, which they claim has adversely affected their businesses.
The demonstration is scheduled to begin at Zion Square at 5 p.m. and then move to city hall to coincide with a city council meeting.
"This work is a disaster not only for the city's merchants but for city residents and tourists as one," said Shimon Darwish, a member of city center merchants' committee.
City merchants are demanding that the municipality immediately stop the construction work - which has made sections of Jaffa Road nearly impassable - and are also planning to ask a Jerusalem court to issue a stop-work order, he said.
The city has said that the long-term benefits the repeatedly-delayed light rail system will afford the public when it is completed in two years time outweigh the short-term inconveniences.
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