Israel has approved a controversial project to construct a cable car that will take tourists in Jerusalem right up to some of the Old City's key holy sites.
Israeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon announced in a tweet the decision of the government to approve the cable car plan, which will bring 3,000 people an hour to the Old City in Jerusalem.
Just like any other large infrastructure projects in Jerusalem, the cable car proposal has become controversial due to the city's disputed status. Plans for the cable car reveals that it will be crossing into Jerusalem's east, which Palestinians and most of the international community consider as occupied territory.
The proposed cable car will begin at a boutique shopping and restaurant location, called First Station, in the western part of the city and would then cross into the eastern part, with a stop on Mount Zion, before ending near the Dung Gate entrance to the Old City, which will be the closest access to the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock.
In 2016, then-Mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, alluded to the project as a way to bring in ten million tourists and demonstrate control over the city. He said: "To bring the wide world to this experience, to understand who really is the landlord of this city -- all of the infrastructure is geared toward this."
Emek Shaveh, an Israeli NGO tracking development of the cable car, expressed dismay over the government approval of the project. "The government has not been able to approve budgets for the disabled and for health, yet it manages to approve a budget of 220 million shekels (62 million dollars) for a tourism venture," the organization said.
It added: "This indeed summarizes the priorities of the outgoing government." The NGO plans to appeal the approval to the High Court.
