Jordan protests to Israel over Jerusalem building proposal

Jordan’s prime minister has sent a letter to Israel expressing his rejection of proposals by the Jerusalem Development Company to confiscate and use the roofs of buildings in the Old City for its planned expansion programme.

Dr Abdullah Al-Noor told the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to give the letter to the Israeli ambassador in Amman advising him “to take all necessary measures to prevent attempts to confiscate Islamic endowment in Jerusalem and to prevent the Jerusalem Development Company and the Israeli municipality from confiscating such endowments, including shops, or changing their legal status in any way.”

The government of Jordan, said spokesman Dr Mohammed Al-Momani, regards such proposals as a violation of Article IX of the 1994 Jordan-Israel Peace Treaty. The letter urged Israel to abide by its obligations under the treaty. “Relevant international laws oblige Israel to respect religious and private properties, whether individual or collective, including the Islamic endowments,” he added.

The Jerusalem Development Company has told shop owners that the roofs of their buildings are earmarked for a development plan literally over their heads.