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White Ridge, green lungOfficially, last weeks decision by the appeals committee at the district planning committee to approve the construction of thousands of housing units on Reches Lavan (White Ridge), just outside of southwest Jerusalem in the area of the Jerusalem Zoo, Kiryat Hayovel and Moshav Ora, means the deed is done. Yet Naomi Tsur, founder and chairwoman of the Jerusalem Green Fund and a prominent opponent to the project, says the game is far from over. Tsur will appeal to the High Court of Justice against the plan, which will ruin or at least significantly reduce one of the most important green lungs in the Jerusalem region and surroundings. Simultaneously, Tsur and several environmental associations, including the Society for Protection of Nature, are advancing their alternative project for that area a national park that, if approved by the district committee, will prevent the implementation of the construction project there. One of the main objections to the construction, which is actively promoted by the municipality, is that contrary to the promoters declaration, it will destroy a large part of the natural resources in that area, which are a public asset for leisure and nature and need to be saved from destruction by this project, which includes some 5,000 units in several 12- to 15-story towers. For now, a committee that will include representatives from the district committee and the city engineer will supervise the plans to minimize damage, but members of the city council, from both the mayors coalition and the opposition, are skeptical about their ability to protect the area. Expansive maneuverThe culture wars continue, this time in Rehavia. The iconic and non-kosher Cafe Yehoshua on Azza Road is trying to expand, but haredi representatives at city council see this as an alarming threat to Shabbat. Cafe Yehoshua is closed on Shabbat, but some fear the next step after the enlargement would be to change that. As a result, the citys planning and construction committee rejected the request to expand the coffee shops space beyond the current wall. Neighbors in the same building oppose the project, arguing it would change the atmosphere of the small, quiet street (Radak) on the corner. City councilwoman and coalition member Laura Wharton expressed frustration, saying that in light of the severe damage to Jerusalems economic life and restaurant businesses caused by corona, this is a foolish decision.

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More here:
This week in Jerusalem - A round-up of city affairs - The Jerusalem Post