Jerusalem revives controversial cable car project

The Jerusalem Municipality intends to establish a cable car project which will pass near Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Haaretz newspaper reported yesterday.

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said during a meeting with Likud party members that the cable car will serve not just economic and tourism needs, but also ideological goals.

“Without the infrastructure of trains, cable cars and so forth, we won’t be able to experience this unique experience,” Barkat is quoted as saying.

“To bring the wider world to understand who really owns this city – all this infrastructure is intended for that,” Haaretz quoted Barkat saying.

According to the municipality’s plan, the cable car will include four main stops; one in western Jerusalem, the second in Kedem Centre, which belongs to the right-wing Elad group, the third in Silwan and the fourth near the Al-Jadeed (Lions’) gate.

The newspaper said the project is expected to spark fierce opposition on diplomatic and environmental grounds since it will be built on areas occupied by Israel in the aftermath of the Six Day War in 1967, within walking distance from Christian and Muslim holy sites.