April 20, 2020
The tender for 1077 housing units in Givat Hamatos A (as part of TPS 14295 marked by blue circle on map below), which was published on the Israel Lands Authority (ILA) website on February 24, is still scheduled to open for bidding on May 3. While the ILA announced that given the COVID-19 outbreak, it would not be publishing any new tenders, the authority has not explicitly addressed how it will treat tenders that were published prior to the announcement, but not yet open for bidding.
According to Ir Amim’s monitoring, several tenders, which were scheduled to open last month, have been frozen while there is a general slowing down in the building sector due to financial issues stemming from the public health crisis. However, at present no change has been announced regarding the Givat Hamatos tender. It is reasonable to assert that voices on the political right are racking up pressure to ensure the tender is open for bidding on May 3 despite the current circumstances.
Constituting a longstanding international red line, Israeli building in Givat Hamatos will seal off the southern perimeter of East Jerusalem from Bethlehem and the southern West Bank, effectively eroding conditions necessary for the establishment of a Palestinian capital in the city within a viable two-state framework.
If the tender is indeed published, it would significantly decrease the potentiality to effectively block Israeli building in the area. Concerted opposition and pressure to freeze the tender is therefore vital in this limited window of time in lead-up to May 3.
Click here for higher resolution map.
The tender for 1077 housing units in Givat Hamatos A (as part of TPS 14295 marked by blue circle on map below), which was published on the Israel Lands Authority (ILA) website on February 24, is still scheduled to open for bidding on May 3. While the ILA announced that given the COVID-19 outbreak, it would not be publishing any new tenders, the authority has not explicitly addressed how it will treat tenders that were published prior to the announcement, but not yet open for bidding.
According to Ir Amim’s monitoring, several tenders, which were scheduled to open last month, have been frozen while there is a general slowing down in the building sector due to financial issues stemming from the public health crisis. However, at present no change has been announced regarding the Givat Hamatos tender. It is reasonable to assert that voices on the political right are racking up pressure to ensure the tender is open for bidding on May 3 despite the current circumstances.
Constituting a longstanding international red line, Israeli building in Givat Hamatos will seal off the southern perimeter of East Jerusalem from Bethlehem and the southern West Bank, effectively eroding conditions necessary for the establishment of a Palestinian capital in the city within a viable two-state framework.
If the tender is indeed published, it would significantly decrease the potentiality to effectively block Israeli building in the area. Concerted opposition and pressure to freeze the tender is therefore vital in this limited window of time in lead-up to May 3.
Click here for higher resolution map.
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