This week in Jerusalem: Back in action

Back in action

Last week, Interior Minister Moshe Arbel revoked the permit for permanent residency of terrorist activist Majed Rajab Asur Jawa, a resident of east Jerusalem, due to “breach of trust” to the State of Israel. Earlier in the week, Arbel decided to cancel Jawa’s right to vote. In the letter he issued, the interior minister stated that he had given an order to delete the terrorist from the voters list. 

From the recommendation and results of security officials, it appears that since the beginning of the 2000s Jawa has had a senior position in the Hamas organization, and his organizational activity takes place in all spheres of influence that concern Hamas in the Jerusalem sector and Judea and Samaria. Later, he also became involved in the Shabab al-Aqsa organization, considered by the police to be a terrorist organization, linked to its activities on the Mosque Esplanade. 

Jawa is also suspected of being responsible for driving the activities of Shabab al-Aqsa and directing the organization’s operatives at various levels and in the neighborhoods of east Jerusalem – an activity in accordance with the directive of Hamas.

Back to court

The Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office, together with the Shin Bet, recently decoded a series of violent disturbances, including on the Black Saturday of Oct. 7. It included shooting fireworks and throwing Molotov cocktails and stones at the security forces, including several cases of violent disorder that occurred in east Jerusalem, in which attackers shot fireworks in direct formation and threw rocks at security forces, threw Molotov cocktails at buildings, caused damage to infrastructure in Silwan, and blocked roads while burning trash bins. 

The investigation revealed that in recent years, the same three people were involved in many cases of disturbances, riots, and confrontations with the security forces in Silwan and in the neighborhood, like Molotov cocktails being thrown at security forces and blocking traffic lanes. The suspects were arrested a month ago, and their arrest was extended by the court until completion of the investigation. At the end of the week, the investigation at the Prosecutor’s Office ended and a prosecutor’s statement was submitted against the suspects. Earlier this week, the Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office filed serious indictments against the three.

Back in business

The office equipment chain Office Depot is returning to Jerusalem and opening a branch in the Malha Mall. The return of the chain was enabled through the UMI Automotive Group, which acquired the management of the company’s network in Israel. According to the group’s management, “The branch will meet the new standard of Office Depot as part of a move to refresh the network and create a new horizontal concept with innovative and technological visibility.” The store will offer products from the world’s leading technology brands such as printers, computers and related accessories, as well as office equipment and furniture. The highlight: items from Arta, one of the art world’s super brands.

Back to the drawing board

The Jerusalem District Planning and Construction Appeals Committee rejected the permit granted by the Jerusalem Municipality for the construction of an underground pedestrian tunnel connecting the Yeffei Nof light rail station to Shaare Zedek Medical Center and ordered a new plan to be promoted. The tunnel was planned to be 145 meters long, at a depth of ten meters underground, with a total area of 1,566 square meters, to connect the train station to the hospital’s main entrance. The committee harshly criticized the municipality, stating that “its decision is neither reasonable nor acceptable” and sent the local planning and constructing committee to submit another plan. There is no objection to the planned underground connection but only to the specific plan submitted.■