Barak Approves Plan to 'Strengthen Jerusalem'

Published July 20th, 2000 - 03:00 GMT

Israeli Prime Minster Ehud Barak gave his directives Wednesday to start a $1.25-billion-five-year-plan to 'strengthen Jerusalem', reported Haaretz newspaper.

Details of the plan were discussed at a meeting held in Jerusalem on Tuesday between cabinet ministers Avraham Shochat and Haim Ramon, Jerusalem mayor Ehud Olmert, as well as chair of the Jewish agency, Salai Meridor.

Half the money is to be provided from the state budget and the other half by a campaign to be instigated abroad by the Jewish agency, said the paper.

Sources close to Shochat told the paper that Barak asked the ministers to hold the meeting in his absence to accelerate the development of Jerusalem as a "national Jewish project" that would ensure the unity of the city.

At the meeting, it was decided to invest in all aspects of life in the city, with special emphasis on the development of east Jerusalem, said the paper.

Opposition spokesmen claimed that details of the meeting were deliberately leaked in the light of rumors from Camp David that the Barak was prepared to give up on parts of Jerusalem, according to Haaretz - Albawaba.com