East Jerusalem settlement gets millions for sports field – Palestinian neighbors go without

A sign notifying of the construction of a sports field in Nof Zion, March 2024

Nir Hasson reports in Haaretz on 1 April 2024:

The Jerusalem Municipality has approved funding for a sports field in a Jewish enclave in East Jerusalem, even as the much larger Palestinian neighborhood surrounding it still lacks one.

The new field will serve some 90 Jewish families in Nof Zion, an enclave in the heart of Jabal Mukkaber, whose Palestinian population numbers around 30,000. The city has allocated 2 million shekels ($540,000) for the Nof Zion field.

Nof Zion was founded around 15 years ago and is currently being expanded. Two businessmen, Israeli Rami Levy and Australian Jew Kevin Bermeister, are funding the new construction, which is expected to double the enclave’s population.

Jabal Mukkaber, like other Palestinian neighborhoods in Jerusalem, has long suffered from a lack of public facilities, including sports fields and playgrounds. Back in 2017, the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research wrote that the neighborhood didn’t have a single public park, though one has since been built between Jabal Mukkaber and the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood.

In contrast, the city has generously funded public buildings in Jewish neighborhoods of East Jerusalem for years. In 2015, for instance, it allocated 11 million shekels to build a mikveh in Ma’aleh Zeitim, which is home to around 100 Jewish families. And in 2022, it allocated 13.5 million shekels for a mikveh in Nof Zion.

“How is it possible for the city to spend such an amount for 100 families while outrageously neglecting all the other residents?” City Councilwoman Laura Wharton demanded. “There cannot be such blatant and severe discrimination between city residents. Moreover, this is a boon to tycoons, who will surely profit from the extra services provided at the expense of city residents. The municipality must develop services for all the city’s residents and avoid serving anyone’s financial and marketing interests.”

The municipality responded that a multipurpose park containing playground and fitness equipment “already exists in Jabal Mukkaber” – though, in fact, that park is located in Armon Hanatziv. Moreover, it said, “There are eight sports facilities scattered about the neighborhood, as well as parks and green areas in nearby neighborhoods.”

It added that “despite the well-known scarcity of land in the neighborhood,” it is working on plans “which are already at an advanced stage, to build another large park” for Jabal Mukkaber residents. This park will have playground equipment, a skating park, a sports field, lawns and places to sit, it said.

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