Jerusalem Mayor announces intention to demolish home

By Rabbis for Human Rights on July 28, 2006 - ג' מנחם אב תשס"ו

Uri LupolianskiJerusalem Mayor, Rabbi Uri Lupolianski, has accused Rabbis For Human Rights of taking a once sided position without checking the facts in regards to the case of the home which Mr. Ahmed Dari built illegally with the aid of Rabbis for Human Rights in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Issawiya, adjacent to the Hadassah Hospital on Mt. Scopus and the campus of the Hebrew University.

Mayor Lupolianski claims that the position taken by Rabbis for Human Rights causes people of Ahmed Dari’s ilk to continue to do whatever they fancy and to ignore all of the existing laws and ordinances regarding planning and building in Jerusalem. The mayor implied that RHR’s actions help those violate Jerusalem Zoning laws because they know that after they violate the law there will be somebody like RHR to defend them.

According to the Mayor Lupoliansky, when the Dari family began to build their illegal home and when they were still in the early stages of building and had only built a supporting wall and floor, a judicial stop work order was issued at the request of the Jerusalem Municipality. Ahmed Dari chose to blatantly ignore the order against him and continued building illegally even though he had been warned that it was absolutely forbidden to build in this area. In light of this and with no choice, the Municipality was forced on December 21, 2005 to issue a demolition order for the structure. Mayor Lupoliansky claims that the Dari family was able to appeal this demolition order, which they did on January 4, 2006. The court discussed this request with all of its facets and did not think it appropriate to approve the request. On March 6, 2006 the court ruled that a building violation had taken place and that the demolition order should be carried out on July 5, 2006. Mayor Lupolianski stresses that it is important to emphasize the Dari family scorned the court and completely ignored its decisions. Not only did they not stop building the home as the court ordered, they completed it and moved in violation of the law. In light of all of the above, the Mayor does not see any reason to change the decision of the court in the matter of Ahmed Dari, who was warned ahead of time regarding the consequences of continued building.

Mayor Lupolianski wrote to Rabbis for Human Rights that he is astonished that Rabbis and religious leaders joined together with RHR to distribute petitions, create chaos, and attempt to create a new reality that legitimizes the illegal acts of criminals. The mayor claims that is “highly unlikely that these same rabbis and clergy would appeal to the Jerusalem Municipality with complaints and requests to legalize crimes that they would certainly strongly protest were they to be carried out where they live”. The mayor asked “Would they be forgiving towards illegal building in Central Park in New York, next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris or close to Big Ben in London? If this was taking place elsewhere there would immediately be a great cry. Would anyone think to do such a terrible deed? The fact that such personalities were involved in building the home does not change its legal status. Jerusalem like any city can not permit unchecked illegal building. It is therefore incumbent on the Municipality and all relevant bodies to take action against all those who violate the law”.

Before being elected mayor, Uri Lupolianski was the Chairperson of the Planning and Building committee of the Jerusalem municipaliy. He is currently a member of the Israel National Building and Planning Committee and the Committee for the Development of Holy Places.

Rabbis for Human Rights believes that the demolition orders will be carried out during the week of July 30-August 4 2006, even as the Jewish people recall the khurban of Tisha’ B’Av and we are already experiencing so much khurban around us.

The Dari home is one of the homes for which Rabbi Ascherman stood trial for by trying to defend against it’s demolitionand be rebuilt the home. We need volunteers to sleep from Saturday night at their house and other houses that are in immediate danger. There is also a possibility to arrive early morning. You are also asked to call the Mayor’s office:

For more details please contact either Rabbi Arik Ascherman 050-5607034 or Yoav Ende: 050-2110639

Click here for more information on the Dari Case.

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