A Palestinian Authority agency, secretly operating in the city, was shut down on the order of Israel’s public Security Minister Gilad Erdan. The Israeli minister said the office, which drafts maps, was “monitoring and documenting” Palestinian-owned land in East Jerusalem, scrutinizing changes Israel has made to the terrain and passing on the names of Arab land owners that are planning to sell to Jews. Minister Erdan added that “The Palestinian map office is part of the Palestinian Authority’s plan to harm (Israel’s) sovereignty in Jerusalem and to threaten Arabs selling real estate to Jews in the city.”
Erdan declared that he “will continue to act firmly to prevent any Palestinian government foothold in Jerusalem.” Israel forbids any officials activity by the Palestinian Authority in Jerusalem, saying it breaches Israel’s sovereignty over the city, which it has declared as its indivisible and eternal capital, a move not recognized by the international community and vehemently rejected by the Palestinian leadership, which demands the eastern part of Jerusalem as the future capital of their aspired state, and accuse Israel of trying to “impose facts on the ground”, that would diminish the prospect of dividing the city under any future peace agreement.
“Today, when the closure of this national institution in the holy city, which is part of the Orient House, took place, they(Israel) are trying to bury the facts which are embraced by the entire Palestinian nation, and these are major clear facts for the Palestinian nation. By arresting Tufakji and closing this institution, the occupation (Israeli) forces attempt to impose facts on the ground through violence and crime against the Palestinian people, including the closure of national institutions in the holy city,” Wasel Abu Yousef, Palestinian leader, PLO Member.
Since annexing East Jerusalem in 1980, Israel has expanded its presence in that part of the city, including the construction of neighborhoods to bolster the Jewish presence in all parts of the city, and the construction of government offices, including the Jerusalem’s police headquarters.