Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended a roof-top signing ceremony in Jerusalem, where he announced the planned-construction of 24,000 new housing units across the city.
In the presence of Israeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Leon, the Prime Minister underscored Israel’s right to build across the city that is – and will always remain – the eternal capital of the Jewish state of Israel.
Netanyahu stated that “Jews were building in Jerusalem 3,000 years ago and Jews are building in Jerusalem today. Jerusalem is not a settlement. Jerusalem is the capital of Israel forever and 3,000 years is part of eternity, we are committed to Jerusalem.”
Netanyahu also noted that the Jewish resolve to maintain a presence in Jerusalem over the course of centuries of foreign rule, with the aspired aim of regaining sovereignty over their ancient capital, the city of David, has led to today’s reality. According to the Israeli Prime Minister “Once the Muslims took control (of Jerusalem), then the Crusaders, and then the Mamluks and then the Seljuks (took over) – and throughout this entire time the Jews held on by their fingertips to the city and hope – especially to the hope that we return rebuild it (Jerusalem) and glorify the city as the capital of the Jewish people that have returned to their country. We are materializing this here, we are actually materializing it in practical terms. We are adding 24,000 housing units in Jerusalem today, that means that Jews were in Jerusalem, Jews built in Jerusalem, Jews are building in Jerusalem, Jews will build in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. It is not merely a saying.”
Following the press conference, an agreement was signed giving the government’s green light to build 24,000 housing units, including 8,000 as part of urban renewal in the city’s old neighborhoods, in addition to three million square meters of land earmarked for commercial and office space, as well as a series of new hotels to accommodate the rising number of tourists visiting the city.