The East Jerusalem Planners Platform

The East Jerusalem Planners' Platform
A series of meetings for planners working in

East Jerusalem
Jerusalem 2018 -2019
Summary Report
July 2020
Table of Contents
Abstract | 3
Introduction: What is the East Jerusalem Planner's Platform? | 6
Meeting #1: Developing Public Space | 9
Presenting the current state of knowledge and activity in this field | 10
Discussion group to develop strategies to expand and improve public space | 11
Concluding Table: Developing public space - Ideas for Potential Projects | 14
Meeting #2: Land and Planning, Licensing and Building | 15
Discussion groups to develop strategies on land registration | 17
Concluding Table: Land registration - Consolidating ideas for potential projects | 18
Meeting #3: Issues Related to East Jerusalem's Transit Network | 19
Discussion groups to develop strategies for action on the topic of transport | 22
Concluding Table: The transportation system - Ideas for potential projects | 24
Meeting #4: Employment and Economic Development in East Jerusalem | 25
Discussion groups on strategic development for employment and economic development | 29
Concluding Table: Employment and economic development - Ideas for prospective projects | 31
Conclusion: Issues to focus on for future action | 33
Appendix 1: Meeting protocols | 38
Appendix 2:
Posters on the topic of transportation in the daily lives of East Jerusalem residents | 39
2
Abstract
In 2018, Hebrew University’s Urban Clinic, in cooperation with the Jerusalem Municipality,
facilitated a platform for professional encounters between city planners and other experts by
creating an opportunity for shared learning and advancing new tools and methods to promote
urban planning in East Jerusalem. The East Jerusalem Planners’ Platform was designed to bring
together people and knowledge to contribute to the proper implementation of urban planning
processes. Its four meetings focused on developing practical tools and forging valuable
relationships and insights amongst professionals working in public and private sectors, fields of
public space, land administration, transportation, and economic development. Through these
encounters, the platform also provided an opportunity to identify issues that require further
academic study.
The Platform is a product of the Urban Clinic’s work to promote urban leadership and local
knowledge, which on one hand identifies the need for dedicated training for planners in East
Jerusalem, and on the other hand, provides a conscious and financial opportunity to adapt thinking
and development patterns in East Jerusalem following the governments’ approval of the Five-Year
Plan to reduce disparities and promote economic development in East Jerusalem. The working
assumption used as the basis for this work is that a body of shared knowledge relevant to quality
urban planning in East Jerusalem is still in its formative stage. The Platform served as a framework
to share knowledge, identify gaps, design and share relevant tools, and establish a network for
planners and professionals engaged in real estate, transportation, and economic development to
facilitate interdisciplinary action.
Each of the meetings was held in the context of the Platform on one major issue:
Developing Public Space: This meeting addressed the varied meaning of public space in East
Jerusalem, its impact on the quality of urban planning, and the planning and management
mechanisms that enable its development. Public space significantly impacts many areas of life,
including the formation of stable and resilient communities, the ability to commute safely,
sustainable economic growth, active and healthy lifestyle promotion, and overall, improving the
quality of life and well-being of residents. The discussions dealt with various issues related to
creating, defining, using, and managing public spaces in East Jerusalem, including long-term
planning such as land expropriation to meet public needs, and more immediate solutions that focus
on optimizing and improving the use of existing public spaces. One of the main conclusions is the
importance of developing urban streets as central public spaces. They allow diverse uses,
economic opportunities, and are ideal places to promote interactions between residents and help
cultivate a strong community identity. Additionally, identifying the public spaces that are either
used or unused is essential. Finally, there is a need to allow community involvement when
managing and implementing improvements in public spaces.
Abstract 3
Land and Planning, Licensing, and Building: Land registration in East Jerusalem is a pressing
issue and is one of the City’s main challenges in the licensing and planning processes. This is
because most land is either partially regulated or not regulated at all by Israel's Planning and
Building Law. Licensing and planning are essential tools for urban planning and development in
which land registration is a necessary component for proper management, long-term planning and
ownership stability, and maintenance of the quality of life and service provision. Simultaneously,
the land registration issue is politically and nationally sensitive, and clarifying and regulating
registration raises concerns among all parties. As part of the Five-Year Plan for East Jerusalem, a
team has been created to address this issue. The Platform’s meeting was based on in-depth
research conducted by the Jerusalem Institute and was led with help from other experts. The
seminar addressed the planning process in situations where land is not registered correctly or
where there are current ownership disputes. The main conclusion identified the need to create
alternative land settlement mechanisms beyond formal registrations. This could include internal
community agreements, recognition of local Palestinian representation, and promoting mediation
and sharing processes.
The Transportation System: Mobility and accessibility difficulties are a salient feature of East
Jerusalem neighborhoods. The public transportation system is composed of private operators; it is
inefficient and, for its majority, lacks direct connections to the city’s central transportation system.
The physical conditions of the streets make it difficult to walk and travel by bicycle and bus. This
leads to a significant increase in intra-neighborhood and inter-city travel times. Nearly one-third of
the Five Year Plan’s budget has been allocated to improve accessibility and transportation services
to residents. During the Platform meeting, activities that are being planned and advanced were
presented. The discussion groups examined creative solutions to improve the situation, including
communally mapping transportation needs, formulating requirements to improve the
transportation system, monitoring project implementation, and implementing a community
enforcement system. The significant need to disseminate information on transportation planning
and issues to facilitate public involvement was also identified. Furthermore, participants
emphasized the need to identify and implement solutions based on the ‘facts on the ground’ while
avoiding housing demolitions to advance transportation solutions as much as possible.
Employment and Economic Development: East Jerusalem rates poorly compared to West
Jerusalem and other cities regarding employment rates, particularly female participation in the
workforce. Furthermore, residents are often employed in low-salaried jobs, resulting in low family
incomes and high poverty rates, even among those who are employed. Issues surrounding
employment and economic development are at the heart of the Five-Year Plan, which aims to
increase economic productivity, household incomes, women’s incomes, and property taxes, and
integrate residents of East Jerusalem into a more comprehensive employment pool. During the
meeting, we learned about ways to achieve these goals through projects that encourage, develop,
and promote the establishment and expansion of small and medium-sized businesses, form
business and networking centers, increase daycare supply, and teach Hebrew. All these aim to
encourage employment and alleviate poverty. The main conclusions addressed the need to
support local businesses, tourism, and economic development while emphasizing the need to
provide diverse employment opportunities, including in-neighborhood employment, work from
home, and micro-businesses. To this end, the groups discussed a proposal to create plans that
allow mixed-land use, encourage trade and jobs on main streets, and improve outdoor spaces to
promote local development. A proposal was presented to build community centers and networks
to support and develop tourism and local businesses by improving access to information and
assistance.
Abstract 4
To summarize the sessions, this report identifies key issues that arose in various manners that
make up the basis for interdisciplinary proposals highlighting different thought processes and
opportunities for action that adopt an integrative approach while addressing two main points:
Public space functions as the basis for economic development and well-being and quality of
urban life improvement: A quality and well-functioning public space is the basis for significant
economic development to improve East Jerusalem residents’ quality of life and well-being. Public
space in East Jerusalem is mainly made up of streets and local paths, and scarce green areas. Most
of the far-reaching conclusions of this report relate precisely to identifying the potential of a
system to bolster sweeping change. The recommendations also focus on building mechanisms to
develop and use public land through new compensation models for land expropriation and
encouraging temporary uses.
Public and professional involvement in setting priorities and implementation processes:

The importance of creating mechanisms that will allow greater professional and public involvement
in the planning decision-making processes and setting priorities and implementation processes of
various projects. Two main challenges are facilitating collaboration when implementing potentially
significant change and assimilating local knowledge when prioritizing projects. This can be
achieved through mediation mechanisms which will enable the collection of local knowledge and
collaboration between the community and the authorities, even without bridging more
fundamental gaps.
We are, of course, aware that not all issues relevant to promoting quality development of space in
East Jerusalem have been discussed here. In particular, the barriers and possibilities to develop
sufficient quality housing options in the East Jerusalem neighborhoods were not addressed, which
is without a doubt an essential issue we chose not to address in this framework. Hence, this
document should not be seen as an exhaustive summary of the wealth of research, activities, and
complexities of the urban space of East Jerusalem, but rather as a summary of specific and partial
perspectives and areas of activity that arose during the Platform meetings. However, we believe
that the mutual exposure and collaborative thinking that have been the focus of the sessions allow
for a new and beneficial outlook on some of the issues discussed.
Abstract 5
Introduction
What is the East Jerusalem Planners’ Platform?
In late 2018, Hebrew University’s Urban Clinic joined forces with the Jerusalem Municipality to
create a platform where urban planners and other professionals could meet, learn from one
another, and work together to develop tools and methods to promote urban development in East
Jerusalem. The East Jerusalem Planners’ Platform was designed to bring together knowledge and
personnel who would help ensure that urban planning processes would be implemented well. The
Platform meetings focused on developing practical tools and forging professional connections and
understandings between various professionals working in the area, including those in the public
and private sectors, the field of public space, land administration, transportation, and economic
development. In doing so, the meetings also provided opportunities to raise issues that need
further research.
The Urban Clinic aims to promote spatial justice by fostering urban leadership and incorporating
local knowledge. The Platform arose from the work of the Clinic’s members who identified the
need to provide specific guidance for students, neighborhood and quarter planners, and municipal
planning employees, tackling the various planning issues that are particular to East Jerusalem. The
Clinic also identified that the 2018 Government Resolution 3790, Narrowing Socioeconomic Gaps
and Promoting Economic Development in East Jerusalem (the aforementioned Five-Year Plan),
created an opportunity to change how East Jerusalem was viewed and developed.
The Platform did not take the form of a course or a training program. Instead, it was a space to
share knowledge, identify knowledge gaps, acquire tools from others, and experiment with
creating new tools to create an interdisciplinary network of planners and professionals. The
initiative’s underlying assumption was that the shared body of knowledge necessary for quality
urban planning in East Jerusalem was still in its formative stage. The participants could learn from
one another to identify and close their knowledge gaps with the help of professors, researchers,
and pertinent experts.
Despite our desire to use the government's resolution as a catalyst for urban development and
investment in East Jerusalem, we are cautiously aware that the decision also poses a threat to the
Palestinian community of East Jerusalem in the event that it would be used to restrict
development in the area. Furthermore, the decision is also limiting. It does not address the severe
housing scarcity crisis in East Jerusalem, which is critical when improving living conditions and
quality of life. In the context of the Platform’s work, we decided not to address this sensitive issue.
Each Platform meeting consisted of 40-70 participants, which included professionals from the
private sector working in East Jerusalem (in planning and related fields), urban community planners
working in East Jerusalem, the planners of the relevant Quarters (Rova’im), the heads of
community councils, municipal employees, and Jerusalem District planners. Some participants
attended all of the meetings, while others only participated in the sessions devoted to their
particular areas of expertise.
Introduction 6
Each of the four meetings was dedicated to one central issue (for detailed programs of each
meeting, see Appendix 1):
Developing public space

15.11.2018 Developing public space
10.1.2019 Land, planning, and planning,
Land, licensing and
andbuilding
licensing and building
10.2.2019 Transportation issues
28.4.2019 Economic development and employment
Transportation issues
Economic development and employment
The meetings combined lectures, discussions, and workshops. Participants collaborated to address
the issues’ various aspects, determine the knowledge necessary to implement change, and
recommend new courses of action to improve planning quality in East Jerusalem. This report
presents lecture summaries and highlights the central points raised during discussions and
workshops. It also summarizes the ideas that were submitted for potential future action.
It is important to note that East Jerusalem has been the focus of a great deal of research and
activity and that each of the topics addressed in these meetings is extensive and highly complex.
Neither this report nor the meetings it summarizes should be viewed as a comprehensive
representation of all of the knowledge available in this field or all possible opinions and attitudes
toward these issues. This report aims to reflect the participants’ notions and points of view, based
on the belief that they could be of value to our readers.
Introduction 7
Meeting 1: Developing Public Spaces
November 15th, 2018
Link to Urban Clinic Website
The first meeting was held in the Tsur Baher neighborhood and dealt with the meaning of public
space in the context of East Jerusalem. The need for this discussion is rooted in the gap between
how this concept is defined by Israel’s Planning and Building Law, how planners generally perceive
it, and how it is commonly perceived in Muslim and Middle Eastern cultures. The latter perception
is most often based on private land ownership and individuals’ right to do as they wish on the
lands and properties ascribed to them and with privately owned lands put to semi-public use.
We decided that a comprehensive discussion on public space in East Jerusalem should be the first
topic addressed, even though the Five-Year Plan for East Jerusalem does not explicitly address this
issue. This is because we believe that public space has a profound influence on many aspects of
urban life, including forming solid and stable communities, promoting safe travel to school and
work, advancing sustainable commercial and economic development, maintaining an active and
healthy lifestyle, and increasing residents’ wellbeing and quality of life. Many discussions on the
quality of urban planning revolve around public space and the planning and land management
mechanisms involved in its development.
We began the meeting with introductions and quickly dove into group discussions that addressed
the following questions:
Are the planning terms used to define the types and uses of the public space appropriate to the
realities of East Jerusalem?
Are the planning tools that are currently in use improving public space?
Is there a need for a new set of tools specifically adapted to work in East Jerusalem’s public
spaces?
Can the current tools be adapted to the local population's particular social and cultural features?
If so, how might this be done?
We set out on a short tour of Tsur Baher, led by residents and professionals, with these questions
in mind.
Developing Public Spaces 9

Presenting the current state of knowledge and activity in this field
The excursion was followed by a lecture by Prof. Rasem Hamisi, titled Creating, utilizing managing
the public space and the appearance of Arab spaces in East Jerusalem: Removing obstacles and
development challenges? Mr. Hamisi is an urban geographer, city planner, and head of the Jewish-
Arab Center at Haifa University. The lecture addressed three aspects central to the development
of public space, specifically in the context of Arab communities and neighborhoods in Israel:
Creating and defining public spaces: Planning and creating public spaces is usually the
responsibility of the public authority – the municipality. The boundaries of public spaces are
supposed to be decided by the public or their representatives and be based on a combination of
legal ordinances on the one hand and social norms on the other.
Utilizing public space: The term ‘public space’ refers to the totality of urban spaces subject to
public ownership or use. Ostensibly, every citizen has an equal right to access these spaces and
remain in them without obstacles or limitations. The public space is a shared site for social
experiences that bind the community. Therefore, it constitutes part of residents’ sense of identity
and affiliation with their place of residence.
Managing and maintaining public space: The management and maintenance of the public
space is the shared responsibility of the public, as the space’s owners and primary users. The public
authority is the institution charged with creating and managing the urban environment. This
necessitates mutual trust and shared interests between the governing authority and the local
population.

Discussion group to develop strategies to expand and improve public space
The lecture was followed by a workshop where three groups discussed the practical implications
of creating, defining, utilizing, and managing public spaces in East Jerusalem. These discussions
raised several issues and points to consider. Some of these addressed long-term planning,
including the possibility of expropriating lands for public use, while others addressed more
immediate solutions focused on making better use of existing spaces. The discussions also
addressed the relationship between developing and improving the quality of the public space and
increasing the residents’ sense of belonging to the place, thus reducing negative behaviors such as
vandalism.
The primary insights from these discussions are summarized below:
Land expropriation:
The accepted legal mechanism of expropriating 40% of the space in every plan for public use often
results in unnecessary expropriation and inefficient distribution of public spaces that ultimately
lead to their underdevelopment. Every land seizure that does not meet an actual need or is not
actively utilized breeds suspicion and mistrust amongst residents. Points raised include the
following:
Expropriations must be based on the real planning needs of the area, and its current land uses
rather than on the standardized dictates of a single program.
Landowners must be compensated through an accepted mechanism, such as additional
construction rights and/or an alternate plot of land.
Building trust and cooperation with the residents and landowners is essential.
Land that the city has already expropriated should be utilized immediately for the community
as part of approved programs since its lack of utilization makes residents suspicious.
Streets as primary public spaces:
One of the central points identified in the discussions is that the neighborhood’s street network is
currently serving as its most significant and functional public space. The participants recommended
strengthening this trend by creating high-quality public spaces on the streets themselves to
provide the bulk of the community’s needs. Such developments require a perceptual change in
street planning, adopting a form that allows for varied uses and encourages residents to interact.
Points raised include the following:
Streets must be planned as part of the detailed plans for neighborhoods or neighborhood
sections that incorporate an active and inviting public space (e.g., wide, shady sidewalks, varied
uses, and accommodating a balance between private vehicles, public transport, and pedestrians).
Plans should be promoted towards implementation, including developing public space along
neighborhoods’ main streets via shading, accessibility, and street furniture that encourage resident
interactions. This should be initiated and funded by the City or by residents and civic
organizations.
A policy document should be drafted on The Street as a Public Space in Jerusalem.
Community planners should be encouraged to adjust these principles for appropriate
participatory planning to suit local needs.

Finding and utilizing potential public spaces:
There are already many spaces that could be used as public spaces if adequately developed. The
examples discussed in the meeting include:
Utilizing spaces designated for open vistas as public spaces, in cooperation with the
landowners: Identifying potential sites and areas and developing them for shared use with the
consent and cooperation of the landowners (usually private), with compensation if necessary. This
can include places such as planted and maintained wadis.
Placing open spaces, especially sports fields, adjacent to active public institutions in every
neighborhood and opening them to wider public use in the afternoons.
‘Green’ rooftops: Utilizing the rooftops of public buildings as open public spaces. This can
sometimes be done by utilizing varied topography – with the roof of a building on a lower plane
connecting to a street on a higher level.
Encouraging the use of the city’s network of larger public spaces, such as the National Parks.
There is a significant scarcity of land for open public spaces within neighborhoods in many cases.
However, many national parks in East Jerusalem are close to these neighborhoods and can be
complementary public spaces. The discussion suggested making these spaces more accessible and
increasing the Palestinian residents’ sense of belonging to the national parks near their
neighborhoods in East Jerusalem.
Conducting a mapping project to identify potential sites for public spaces with residents under
the guidance of the community planners.
Temporarily increasing the use of open public spaces:
Temporary uses: Using plots of land that are currently vacant and/or unplanned as temporary
public spaces until the owners implement a plan for the specific piece of land. This should be
undertaken even if it necessitates reaching an agreement with the landowners and offering them
some form of compensation.
For example, small playgrounds for children can be built in partnership with the cooperation of
landowners without expropriation (a similar model exists in Tel-Aviv.
Temporarily closing streets to traffic and turning them into public spaces: closing certain roads
at certain hours or on certain days and utilizing them as public space is worth considering. For
example, small streets containing public or educational institutions could close every day in the
afternoon and be used as a space where children can play. Alternatively, roads that lead primarily
to schools can be closed on weekends and used as public spaces for the whole community.

Managing the public space:
Public space management differs significantly between East and West Jerusalem. The discussion
suggested that it would be worthwhile to create a new managing body to specifically address the
management of public spaces in East Jerusalem and the development of relevant guidelines and
practices for the implementation of the necessary improvements:
This organization should be community-based, oriented towards solving problems in the public
space and composed of professionals from diverse fields, including Law, Landscape Architecture,
Community Organizing, and Real Estate Appraisal. The success of this body could be measured by
the quantity and quality of the new public spaces added to the area every four or six months.
The body would cooperate with existing neighborhood institutions, including schools.
Different institutional mechanisms were assessed, such as a non-profit or public-benefit
organization, a government body, a municipal corporation similar to Eden and Moriah Jerusalem
Development Corporation, or a landowners’ association.
The discussion suggested that community councils could be the most appropriate institution as
they cooperate with the city, are trusted by the residents (to varying degrees), work at the
neighborhood level, and are accustomed to the management and providing services.
A pilot program was suggested in one of the councils currently at work in the area and is
considered successful. The neighborhoods suggested for the pilot included Wadi al-Joz, A-Tur,
Shu’afat, and Beit Hanina. The pilot would be based on additional funding allocated to create a
designated management team for each neighborhood’s public space. The team would be
responsible for promoting and assessing projects to improve spaces based on community
involvement.

Concluding Table: Developing Public Space -
Ideas for Potential Projects
Goals Possible mechanisms for promotion

Include detailed planning for neighborhoods or
Use streets as primary public spaces:
neighborhood quarters.
Planning and utilizing streets to allow Promote plans that include the development
mixed-use and encourage interaction of public and accessible spaces along
between residents. neighborhoods’ main streets, on private land
initiated and funded either by the City or by
residents and civic organizations.
Write a policy paper: The Street as a Public

Space in Jerusalem.
Include community planners in part of the

participatory planning process. Invite
community planners to adopt these practices as
part of the participatory planning process.
Identify potential sites and spaces. Introduce a preliminary local mapping

Promote planning and development project, including community planners and a
at the local project level. group of neighborhood activists.
Promote sites in the context of existing

master plans and planning processes.
Introduce a preliminary local mapping
Allow Temporary uses: Temporarily
project, including community planners and a
use vacant/unplanned lands as public
group of neighborhood activists.
spaces until the owners implement a
plan. Compensate (monetary or otherwise)
landowners – most likely overseen by the local
authority.
Close certain streets at certain times Share the recommendations with the
to allow public use of the space. community and quarter planners.
Use the yards and rooftops of public Share recommendations with the Jerusalem
buildings: To compensate for the lack Municipality and the Ministry of Education.
of available open spaces and
playgrounds.
Monitor and guide future planning by Conduct as a project for a university or civil
creating a document with practical society organizations.
recommendations for improvement.
Create a new managing body charged Implement it as a pilot in one of the community
with managing and implementing councils.
improvements to East Jerusalem
public spaces.
Meeting 2: Land and Planning,
Licensing and Building
January 10th, 2019
Land registration in East Jerusalem is one of the primary challenges the city deals with in the
planning and licensing processes. According to the methods dictated by the 1965 Israeli Planning
and Building Law, the lack of land registration and regularization is a significant obstacle to
promoting local licensing and planning processes. These processes are an essential planning tool
for controlled urban development that aims to maintain quality of life and address the residents’
basic needs in housing, roads, infrastructure, public spaces, and public services. In other words,
land registration is a necessary component in proper management and long-term planning, and
property ownership stability.
East Jerusalem’s complex history has generated a legal patchwork where land is only partially
regularized. In many cases, irregularities in land registration are a significant obstacle to
development, bringing down property values, preventing proper licensing and applications for
loans or mortgages, and causing large-scale loss of income. At the same time, registration is a
sensitive point with various political and national implications, giving rise to severe concerns
amongst all parties involved. The complexity of this issue and its political sensitivity make land
registration a particularly complex challenge to address.
The Five-Year Plan for East Jerusalem set the goal of half of the real estate in East Jerusalem by
the final quarter of 2021 and regularizing all East Jerusalem real estate by the end of 2025. For
this purpose, a team headed by the Ministry of Justice was assembled with representatives from
the government’s Budget Department, the Israel Land Administration, the Cabinet Secretariat, the
Jerusalem Heritage Office, Survey of Israel, the Planning Administration, and the Jerusalem
Municipality. A budget of 50 million NIS was granted to achieve this goal, representing
approximately 2% of its total funding.
We learned about East Jerusalem development processes in cases that lacked regularized land
registration, or land ownership was in dispute throughout this meeting. The information shared
was based on research led by the Jerusalem Institute and other professionals in the field. In
addition to private practice architects and engineers who work in East Jerusalem, meeting
participants included representatives of the Office of Jerusalem Affairs, Jerusalem Municipality,
Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Justice.
Land and Planning, Licensing and Building 15

Architect and planner Islam Dais and Arch. Yaara Rosner Manor launched the meeting by
presenting the main agenda and issues. They listed the multitude of registration categories
currently in use in East Jerusalem, from lands that are not registered at all to different types of
partial registration, registration that was regularized by the Jordanians (based on the British
Torrance system, and therefore similar to Israeli registration), and finally, lands that are fully
registered and regularized. Their examples emphasized the number of categories and sub-
categories, which give rise to highly diverse inter-and intra-regional registration mechanisms, down
to the level of the individual lot. They also showed how the lack of clarity in registration could lead
to conflicting claims over the same plot of land between different private landowners or between
individual landowners and the state.
Maayan Nesher, former housing department Head of the Ministry of Finance, gave a lecture
titled Illegal Construction, Blood Feuds, and Two Billion Shekels Per Year: The Price of the Lack of Rights
over the Lands in East Jerusalem. She presented a study she conducted on behalf of the Jerusalem
Institute: “The Economic Impact of the Lack of Real-Estate Rights Regularization in East
Jerusalem.” The study examined the impact and implications of poorly regulated land on East
Jerusalem residents and the city's economy. Aside from providing up-to-date data, the lecture also
recommended several strategies to address the lack of regularization based on various case studies
worldwide. In conclusion, Ms. Nesher emphasized that the lack of land ownership regularization
every year causes immense economic damage to the city, its residents, and the state. She argued
that continued inaction would result in ongoing losses and widen the gaps between Jerusalem’s
East and West.
Urban planner Nasser Abu Alil responded to Ms. Nesher’s lecture. Mr. Abu Alil formerly
served as a planner for the Beit Hanina Community Council and worked alongside professionals
from Jerusalem’s municipality to create the Beit Hanina Ownership Committee. Nasser Abu Alil
described the organizational structure of the ownership committee, emphasizing the unique
ownership situation in Beit Hanina, where most of the real estate was in the process of a Jordanian
regularization procedure that was never completed. He also highlighted the challenges and the
concerns that could arise if the authorities were to begin the registration of real-estate in East
Jerusalem.
In a third lecture, Amal Urabi Hosin, a lawyer and member of the Urban Clinic, briefly
described the history of the 1950 Absentee Property Law to facilitate the discussion and link the
relevant and the legal terms at the heart of the issue. He clarified the legal definition of absentee
and its implications, including the passing of the lands to the Administrator-General and the case
of the “current absentees.” He emphasized the legal challenge of implementing the law in East
Jerusalem after it was annexed n 1967 and how the state utilized it to appropriate lands.

Discussion groups to develop strategies on land registration
Following the lectures, we split up into groups to examine three possible courses of action: finding
legal means of freezing or moderating the expropriation of absentee properties – by legal
challenge or by exclusion, adopting a model for ownership committees similar to that employed in
Beit Hanina, and shadow registration.
Temporary Provisions – A legal arrangement to moderate or freeze the expropriation of

absentee properties.
The discussion addressed possible strategies for immediate action to moderate or freeze absentee
land expropriation in East Jerusalem, a necessary first step to building trust with the city’s
Palestinian population. Three alternatives were discussed:
Legally challenging the legitimacy of the Administrator General’s custody of absentee

properties in East Jerusalem by submitting a class action suit. During the discussion, it was argued
that there is no legal justification for the Administrator General’s involvement in East Jerusalem.
The purpose of the law was not to involve the Jerusalem Municipality as a partner in East
Jerusalem’s development, and its invocation seems to be an act of creeping expropriation.
Preparing a list of exceptions that would limit the Administrator General’s reach. Such a list
would be based on real cases that have been collected by urban planners, community councils, and
experienced planners who have since retired.
Asserting the community council’s right to submit plans to promote community-level
development. The claim was raised that, in recent years, an unwritten decision has been made in
the Jerusalem Regional Council not to allow community councils or NGOs to submit construction
plans. The Beit Hanina Community Council has submitted a request to be allowed to submit a plan
on behalf of the residents. No legal decision on this subject has yet been made.
Shadow/ghost registration
This group discussed the possibility of an intermediate solution, in which the area will be
comprehensively and consistently mapped at the master plan level in close cooperation with the
residents. This ‘land ownership map’ would have no statutory status but would allow for planning-
based land distribution acceptable to the local community. The final map would be available to the
public and minimize errors while maximizing clarity, at least from the planning-geographical angle.
Moreover, this document, which would be signed by all interested parties and by a certified
surveyor, could serve as a foundation for future land agreements that would lead to formal
registration. The mapping process would substantiate internal contracts within the community
regarding who should be registered as the landowner. At the same time, the cooperative effort and
eventual publication would provide transparency and allow the community to monitor the process.
Nevertheless, the members of this group emphasized the need to formalize the mapping work and
provide funds to compensate individuals whose property rights will be harmed by the results.
Adopting the Beit Hanina Ownership Committee model
This group addressed the possibility of forming a committee composed of residents’

representatives, large Hamulas, lawyers approved by the community, neighborhood leaders,
representatives of the community council, and representatives of the licensing and consultation
departments in Jerusalem Municipality. The committee would examine residents’ requests based
on the cadasters and ownership claims they can provide, including the chain of contracts and
inheritance documents that have placed the real estate in the claimant’s hands.

Residents could submit a building plan or permit portfolio based on the committee's
recommendation. This solution was relevant only for neighborhoods in which lands are in the
process of regularization, primarily Beit Hanina, Shu’afat, and Wadi a Joz.
Concluding Table: Land Registration -

Consolidating Ideas for Potential Projects
In light of this issue’s legal complexity and sensitivity, we did not provide recommendations for
advancement mechanisms but limited ourselves to a list of central ideas. Many of these ideas
could be promoted by the community council, the Quarter Planners, and/or civic organizations.
Ideas for promoting land registration

Legally challenge the legitimacy/reach of the Administrator General’s custody of absentee
properties in East Jerusalem and/or prepare a list of issues where their involvement would
be limited.
Insist upon the community council’s right to submit plans.
Create a shared committee, which would be tasked with reviewing residents’ requests,
according to the model previously employed in Beit Hanina (relevant primarily to
neighborhoods in which the lands are in the process of regularization).
Promote shadow registration and map the land distribution currently accepted by the
interested parties at the planning stage in close cooperation with the local population. This
would generate a ‘base map’ for planning on non-regularized land.

Meeting 3: Issues Related to East
Jerusalem's Transit Network
February 28th, 2019
Mobility and accessibility challenges in East Jerusalem neighborhoods are well known to every
resident and visitor. The current public transportation system is operated by seven different
private companies and functions ineffectively. These bus operators connect the neighborhoods to
East Jerusalem’s central business district but offer almost no direct access to the available
transportation system, including light rail or direct contact between communities. Additionally,
most movement between different neighborhoods or areas of the city requires travelers to go
through the central depot at Damascus Gate and sometimes even to move from one depot to
another in the Damascus Gate area. Moreover, the physical state of the road network makes travel
on foot or by bicycle difficult and often makes bus access completely impossible.
One goal of the Five-Year Plan is to improve public transportation services in East Jerusalem and
increase residents’ access to all parts of the city. An interoffice team was created and charged with
formulating a detailed plan with several specific aims to achieve this goal. These included:
integrating the “Rav-Kav” (smart public transportation card) system into East Jerusalem to facilitate
travel in all parts of the city; creating bus routes that directly connect East Jerusalem to West
Jerusalem; improving and upgrading transportation infrastructure, which includes updating the
transportation infrastructure survey and mapping East Jerusalem’s transportation needs; and
creating a detailed plan for the northern segment of the American Road. The overall transportation
budget in the five-year plan is 585 million NIS, approximately 28% of the program’s total budget.
This meeting addressed the current state of affairs concerning transportation and planned and
promoted initiatives. The discussion groups explored creative solutions to improve the current
situation. This meeting was attended by Quarter Planners from the Jerusalem Municipality, and
representatives from the Ministry of Transport, the Jerusalem Regional Council, the Jerusalem
Transportation Master Plan, the Public Transportation Alliance, the companies that provide public
transportation services in the area, and professionals, Jewish and Arab, from the private and
business sectors who work in East Jerusalem.
We began the meeting with a presentation prepared by residents of East Jerusalem who are Urban
Planning M.A. candidates at Hebrew University (see Appendix 2). The students mapped their daily
commutes from their home to work, university, and other daily life centers. These everyday
commute stories emphasized the difference in travel time between public transportation and
private vehicles and the various issues that make traveling by public transport less convenient,
efficient, and safe.
issues Related to East Jerusalem's Transit Network 19

Architect Islam Dais from the Urban Clinic opened the meeting by detailing the plan and
noting central planning components that influence the development of an efficient, regular, and
convenient transportation system in East Jerusalem. We learned that the planned light rail system
is still far from providing satisfactory services to Eastern neighborhoods and that the light rail’s
completion is years away. She emphasized the enormous gap between planning and
implementation in these neighborhoods regarding paved roads. Additionally, in many cases, it is
not possible to build the planned roads either because their routes are designed to pass through
areas with particularly harsh topography, or the sites have been built-up since the plans were
initially drawn up. Furthermore, the network’s current state of affairs includes many extremely
narrow roads built on steep slopes and are not up to code. Other issues include lack of parking
space and informal arrangements that further impede road traffic.
Jay Kaplan, senior advisor for transport planning and modeling and lecturer in transport
engineering, presented his lecture, Master Plan for Transport: A Transport System in East
Jerusalem. His work includes a three-stage plan, which was designed to be adopted as a master
plan that incorporates several different elements: provide transportation solutions for a variety of
users, including drivers, pedestrians, and public transportation users; provide a support system,
including public transportation depots and parking solutions; and maintaining connectivity with the
central business, education, and religious districts. It has taken two years to complete the first two
stages: first, data collection and analysis of the current situation, and second, defining a vision and
goals for the completed project. At the time of the meeting (February 2019), the planning team
was at the stage of assessing project feasibility and alternatives.
Mr. Kaplan began his comprehensive lecture by presenting demographic data and projections of
urban development, which serve as the basis for the transport master plan; however, the reliability
of the data is debatable. A comparison of commuting habits showed, for example, that the rate of
car ownership/access in East Jerusalem is about half of the rate in West Jerusalem’s non-Haredi
population. Data on travel habits indicated unusually high congestion rates at peak hours,
especially during school drop-off. An analysis of the road system showed many very narrow
streets, which obstruct the flow of both vehicle and pedestrian movement. The road safety study
indicated an exceptionally high rate of pedestrian injuries in accidents (40%-60% in East Jerusalem
neighborhoods vs. a national average of about 30%) and a high involvement rate for younger
residents. The state of public transportation analysis indicated a lack of bus stops/sidewalks to
wait upon and that stops are exposed to the elements/inaccessible for buses. Mr. Kaplan ended
the lecture by presenting avenues for potential road and public transportation development
options and the various issues that would have to be addressed in this context.
The following experts presented responses and additional viewpoints:
Dr. Enaya Banna is an Engineer for the Planning and Building Committee and faculty
member at the Urban Clinic. The Management of Issues in Licensing lecture described the
planning work in preparation for the National Planning and Building Committee for Priority
Housing Areas (VATMAL) plan in Umm el-Fahm. The plan tackles issues similar to the challenges in
East Jerusalem regarding the development of a transportation system in the heart of an urban
fabric that has, over the years, developed on a massive scale, without statutory planning, and with
private vehicles.

Dr. Banna noted the need to adopt flexible planning standards and implementation on issues such
as acceptable slopes, the width of streets and sidewalks, turn radii, etc., and correspondingly rely
on detailed mapping of the existing situation. The relaxed standards in Umm al-Fahm were
reached following a series of intra-community agreements on statutory validation according to
current possibilities and limitations and granting the public rights to travel through privately owned
properties with the landowner’s permission.
Ran Etzion, Director of Planning and Implementation at Moriah, presented his lecture: The
Five-Year Plan and Its Central Dilemmas, which highlights Moriah’s efforts toward improving and
renovating the private and public transportation system in East Jerusalem, in the context of the
Five-Year Plan to reduce gaps in East Jerusalem (Decision 3790). Mr. Etzion noted the enormous
gaps between East and West that have formed over the years, leading to, among other things,
paving costs in East Jerusalem to be approximately 150% higher than in West Jerusalem. Another
challenge to planning and implementation in the Eastern part of the city is its steep topography,
which increases costs and requires more flexible standards in project implementation, such as
paving at slopes of approximately 15%. Moreover, in many cases, the statutory routes derived
from old plans are blocked due to new construction or are not suited to the area’s contours. Mr.
Etzion reassured us of Moriah’s efforts to accommodate project implementation to suit the current
conditions and avoid home demolitions.
Mr. Etzion described the planning and implementation processes of roads in East Jerusalem that
have begun as part of the Five-Year Plan, raising numerous issues worthy of consideration. He
reviewed the conclusions that have been drawn from the work so far and how these have shaped
future projects set to begin in the next few years. In this context, he also presented the criteria to
determine project priority, emphasizing projects that have already received statutory approval.
Finally, he defined the work’s success: creating the new roads and reducing travel time for private
vehicles. Other participants noted the importance of access to education services, the street as a
public space, and encouraging non-motorized traffic.
Participants also mentioned that prioritizing approved projects means implementing projects
planned according to old standards (e.g., 12m high retention walls), which would not be approved
today. The discussion also raised issues related to the authorities’ lack of local knowledge and the
need to enhance public participation processes to provide access to helpful information.
Tal Atzmon, the planner for the Northern Quarter, presented additional examples that
indicate movement and transportation difficulties in East Jerusalem.
Mr. Akem, the representative of the Public Transport Operators’ Committee in Jerusalem,
presented challenges in providing good service, including poorly maintained and eroding roads that
damage buses, lack of bus stops and dedicated stops where passengers can safely wait for and
board buses without disrupting traffic, security checks that significantly increase travel time, illegal
parking along the bus routes and in bus stations, lack of traffic law enforcement, competition with
unregulated taxi/shuttle services, and the difficulty of moving between the three depots at
Damascus Gate.
Yossi Saidov, representative of the Public Transportation Alliance “15 Minutes,” presented the
NGO’s operational goal: to help bus users demand improved services. Saidov highlighted service
improvements following petitions organized by customers, including the efficiency of using
photographic evidence of illegal parking on sidewalks and inside bus stops to report traffic
violations through the municipal hotline. He said that there is communal readiness to promote
service improvement in East Jerusalem.

Following the lectures and their respective discussions, we split up into groups. The groups
addressed three central issues:
Adapting the planning and implementation standards to various situations: This group
discussed conditions in which the strict standards delay development and, therefore, must be
relaxed and the potential consequences of relaxing those standards. The group examined the
examples of the VATMAL’s plans in Umm al-Fahm and other Arab communities to determine the
relevance of their methods in East Jerusalem. Eventually, the group recommended the
establishment of a mechanism specifically designed to handle and promote programs in East
Jerusalem that include legalizing the status quo and granting non-statutory allowances based on
the existing limitations.
Involving residents in transportation planning: This group discussed the gaps between what
the plans describe and the facts on the ground, which ultimately contribute to delays in the
transportation system’s development. In doing so, they emphasized how involving residents in the
planning process could help promote solutions.
Improving ridership and bus services: This group included bus route operators, community
planners in East Jerusalem, and transportation planners. It discussed the various ways residents
can organize to improve bus services.
The main ideas and recommendations arising from the discussions are:
Informing and including the public in planning and implementation processes and organizing
at a community level can be a significant source of leverage to improve the quality and efficiency
of transportation in East Jerusalem. For example:
Residents can map obstacles along bus routes: A group of public transportation users can be
organized and tasked with mapping the problems along bus routes. The bus operators expressed
their willingness to “host” surveyors on the buses and to involve the bus drivers in the mapping
and analysis stages. The transportation planners suggested that passing this information on to
those charged with implementation could lead to improvements in prioritizing parking
enforcement, designating of bus stops, improving bus routes, and maybe even road planning and
maintenance.
A community enforcement parking system: The lack of parking space in East Jerusalem leads
many to park on the edge of the road and sidewalks, blocking bus access to dense residential
neighborhoods. The group members suggested creating a community network for enforcing
parking restrictions. At the same time, action must be taken to address the parking needs by
finding government-owned lots that can be used for public parking and defining public parking
areas in profitable projects.
Creating a coalition of residents and public transportation service providers: Residents and
operators could work together to create a list of what is required to improve the transport system,
pressure the Ministry of Transport, and encourage transparency in the bidding process. The Public
Transportation Alliance “15 Minutes” can help with this.
Public participation and consensus building: Input regarding new planning initiatives must be
sought from the public at large, rather than only from the community leaders (muh’tarim) and the
heads of the large Hamulas. Residents can be included to help consolidate information and offer
feedback either through a phone-based information center or online.

Adapt the planning and implementation standards to various situations and gather
information
Generate a general database, which can serve as the basis for prioritizing projects and assessing
the possibility to give statutory validation to the status quo: To create a complete transportation
layout, the database would include information from all master plans, including program
information, a review of the current situation, and conclusions from public participation processes.
Based on this overview, planned projects can be prioritized, irrelevant roads can be erased from
plans, and necessary adjustments can be made by providing a statutory status to the
current/existing state.
Examine existing plans and assess their relevance: In places where these are irrelevant because
their implementation is impossible, or because the plan is not up to date and does not meet
current standards (e.g., is not urban, includes enormous retention walls, is too broad, or traces a
route that is primarily built), alternatives should be considered based on regulating existing street
networks that comply with safety regulations. Solutions that require demolition or expropriation
should be avoided whenever possible.
Economic mechanisms:
Compensation mechanisms: When there is no alternative but to demolish or expropriate, a

model must be developed for compensating the affected residents. The group members suggested
compensation that includes additional building rights. Monetary compensation is ineffective since
the residents of East Jerusalem have a precedent of rejecting monetary compensation in exchange
for land.
Government grants and loans: The companies operating the transportation systems are suffering
from a lack of buses and drivers, which prevents them from running a service that covers all
neighborhoods. The group suggested that the government help fund the additional costs by
offering loans and grants to companies working in East Jerusalem.

Concluding Table: The Transportation System -
Mechanism Ideas for potential action

type
Community Organize small neighborhood groups of public transportation users to
organizing identify problems in the current service and map out the users’ needs.
Promote a coalition of residents and public transportation service

providers that will work to create a set of demands for improvements in
the transportation system, apply pressure to the Ministry of
Transportation, and promote transparency in bidding procedures.
Form a community parking enforcement network.
Involve and
Involve the public and reach large-scale agreements: Input on new
inform the
planning must be sought from the general public, rather than only from
public
muh’tarim and the heads of the large Hamulas.
Inform residents about new planning initiatives, and invite their

questions and comments (via a call-in information center, social
networks, etc.)
Implement a comprehensive information database: Collect all available
Information-
information from master plans (program data, surveys of the current
based
situation, results of public participation) to create a comprehensive
planning
transport plan. This overview can serve as the basis to prioritize specific
planned projects, remove roads that are no longer relevant, and consider
necessary adjustments through statutory validation of the status quo.
Adapt planning to the facts on the ground: Formally validate as part of
new planning initiatives. This road system currently exists because it
complies with safety regulations and works to improve it rather than
recommending solutions that require demolition or expropriation.
Economic Institute compensation mechanisms: When demolition or expropriation

mechanisms are inevitable, a model for compensating residents must be developed
and applied. We suggest compensation in the form of greater building
rights. Monetary compensation is not a viable compensation mechanism
since East Jerusalem residents reject financial compensation for lands.
Provide government loans and grants to help the companies operating

in the area address their lack of buses and drivers.

Meeting 4: Employment and Economic
Development in East Jerusalem
April 29, 2019
The employment rate in East Jerusalem lags far behind that in the Western part of the city and
other Israeli towns. According to the 2016 Jerusalem census and the Transport Master Plan, the
gaps in women’s employment are particularly significant: only 30% of female East Jerusalem
residents are employed compared to 60% in the West. Moreover, jobs in East Jerusalem are
characterized by work that yields low household incomes resulting in high poverty rates even
amongst the employed.
Employment and economic development issues are central to the East Jerusalem Five Year Plan,
which aims to increase market productivity, integrate the residents of East Jerusalem into the
workforce, increase household incomes, especially for women, and increase Jerusalem
Municipality’s revenue. It was decided that the workforce integration would be achieved by (a)
incentivizing and assisting businesses, (b) encouraging, developing, and promoting the creation and
expansion of small and medium-sized businesses specifically adapted to the population of East
Jerusalem (e.g., creating a business center and granting small business access to business advisors);
(c) developing a government program to support the construction of commercial centers and
districts in East Jerusalem neighborhoods; (d) increasing the collection of commercial property
taxes.
One primary goal of the plan is to increase East Jerusalem’s low employment rate for women and
match it to the national average for Palestinian women who are Israeli citizens. To this end, it was
decided that (a) an employment center would be provided to advise and assist both Arab men and
women from East Jerusalem in finding employment (with particular emphasis on finding places for
women); (b) create and expand programs to encourage employment amongst young women,
including Hebrew language education, preparatory gap year for girls after high school that
emphasizes training, technology education, and preparation for higher education; (c) positions will
continue to be set aside for local social workers; (d) the welfare and employment services available
in East Jerusalem will be expanded, with an emphasis on programs that promote women’s
employment, prevent school dropout and at-risk situations for children, and alleviate poverty.
Finally, the plan provides a dedicated budget to increase the number of daycare centers in East
Jerusalem, based on the assumption that the availability of childcare is necessary to encourage
women’s employment.
In this meeting, we sought to listen and learn from the participants and guest lecturers about the
employment component of Decision 3790. We learned about relevant projects currently being
promoted in East Jerusalem and about the complementary elements of the plan, which include
guiding new businesses, Hebrew lessons, integrating residents into the general job market,
providing daycare services, support for working mothers, and others.
Employment and Economic Development in East Jerusalem 25

We began the meeting with two short lectures, introducing the participants to an ongoing
initiative to create a series of business districts in East Jerusalem.
Yaara Issar, head of the planning department for East Jerusalem Development Ltd, provided
a brief overview of the company’s activities, specifically the Planning Business Districts in the East
Jerusalem Neighborhoods project. Ms. Issar discussed the organization's motivations and
perceptions of public participation, including working from within each neighborhood for its
betterment and exploring its mechanisms for implementing this vision. She also noted the project’s
overall approach – promoting employment for the neighborhood’s residents to generate a local
economic engine at the neighborhood/quarter scale. Business districts are being placed at the
edges of neighborhoods and towns on available lands, most privately owned, even if not formally
licensed regularized. Such districts will be created in Issawiya in North Jerusalem, At-Tur on its
Eastern border, and two additional districts in Tsur Baher in South Jerusalem.
Tzvika Mintz, the Program advisor for the Five-Year Plan, briefly presented background data
for our discussion, which are based on surveys he conducted for the plan:
The unemployment rate is high, especially amongst women: Approximately 70% are not
employed at all, and those employed generally work in services and jobs that do not require
education and draw meager salaries.
Average income is low: Men are employed primarily in traditional industries, commerce, and
repairs, making no more than 9,000 NIS per month. Women work mainly in services, specifically in
catering, education, and health, where the average wage is approximately 7,000 NIS. In both cases,
their incomes are below the national average and do not include high-paying jobs like advanced
industry, finance, and public administration, which require higher education degrees.
Average area per business: Businesses tend to be smaller and less profitable. The average size
of businesses in Jerusalem is 150m2, while the average in East Jerusalem is 90m2.
Area devoted to employment and commerce per person: The figures for the city are
significantly lower than the average in Israel, and the statistics in East Jerusalem are substantially
lower than those in the West. The commercial area per person is 1.9m2 in Jerusalem, but 0.8m2 in
East Jerusalem. The business area per person is 4m2 in the city, and 1.7m2 in East Jerusalem.
Spaces devoted to employment in Jerusalem: There is a great deal of available space: a
statutory reserve of one million square meters, with another 3 million square meters planned, and
yet another 1.5 million square meters worth of business districts in the process of being planned.
However, the utilization rates are low, with only 3.5 million square meters currently used for
business and commerce.
Shopping: Most of the shopping done by East Jerusalem residents occurs within the residential
neighborhoods themselves (45%) and in the Eastern Central Business District (28%). Additional
shopping is done in the Western part of the city (11%) and West Bank (8%).
During our discussion on these lectures, the question of tourism arose. While tourism usually
cannot substitute for primary income, many families would benefit significantly even from the
small addition of a few thousand NIS. Moreover, members of the audience expressed their
willingness to develop tourism but noted that they have consistently been met with
municipal/regulatory obstacles when they attempted to do so.

Following Yaron, Anat Schwarz Weil from JDC Israel presented her lecture: Business – welfare –
economy: The implementation of government resolution 3790. Ms. Schwarz described the factors
that constitute the resolution and its significant points of emphasis, including increasing
employment of the adult female population of East Jerusalem to 75% to match the employment
rate of Israel’s female Palestinian population, developing human capital, and promoting quality
employment.
The JDC is working on three different fronts to improve the plan’s implementation by coordinating
between active players in the government, the city, and civilian organizations:
1.Employment:
An employment center to guide residents through the job-finding process of finding via courses,
training, and placement.
Programs to encourage women’s employment.
Hebrew language classes: language is currently a significant barrier to employment, especially
amongst women.
Developing human capital through courses that facilitate access to the job market, especially in
the digital and technological sectors.
Expanding employment circles through personal training, guidance, and workshops to help
potential employees integrate into the workforce.
Building new structures for daycare facilities and encouraging the creation of alternative private
daycare options.
2. Welfare:
Increasing social work positions.
3. Economy – Incentivizing employers to hire workers from East Jerusalem, supporting small and
mid-sized businesses, and developing business districts.
Anat described how the JDC perceives the coordination between all above actors, ongoing
activities, and other components. During our discussion, participants raised issues such as cultural
adaptation, the need to provide access to information and Hebrew language education, and the
importance of slow and steady development rather than fast and sloppy development. Concerns
were also voiced regarding the possibility that the quantitative goals would shift the focus toward
employment at minimum wage rather than actual, qualitative improvements.
The final lecture, by Ehud Uziel from the Bloomberg Jerusalem Innovation Team, addressed
the promotion of a complementary mechanism to promote women’s employment, namely the
creation of daycare facilities and kindergartens. There is a general lack of daycare facilities
throughout the country, particularly in East Jerusalem. As with any issue associated with planning
and construction in East Jerusalem, this one also faces multiple challenges and obstacles, of which
Ehud addressed a few:

These challenges are being addressed by developing communal efforts to benefit children while
simultaneously generating system-level solutions that incorporate processes of expropriation,
construction, training skilled staff, and creating quality day-care centers.
This lecture was followed by a discussion, which raised several issues:
Small “family-size” daycare services that operate out of private homes, making secondary use
of existing real-estate, offer excellent savings since they avoid the need for land expropriation and
allow small children to stay in their communities.
However, oversight and training for these services are required, and efforts should be made to
obtain these. In many cases, the houses used for these purposes are not suitable. The various
obstacles to this alternative should be systematically identified so that they may be overcome.
The bureaucratic process to create private daycare facilities is complex, and there is currently
no mechanism to facilitate the founding of in-house “family-size” daycare services. Private
initiatives are joint but, if done legally, require a hard-to-get business license.
Mixed-use buildings and vertical construction for young children: we addressed whether it
was possible/advisable to build daycare facilities vertically, with solutions in the form of balconies,
shared playgrounds at the structure’s entrance, etc. This would not come at the expense of critical
educational values such as access to nature, sufficient play space, etc.

Discussion groups on strategic development for employment and economic development
In the workshop that followed the lectures, we discussed potential solutions and courses of action
and obstacle management that the talks raised. The group discussions addressed three major
topics:
One group discussed the spatial aspects of economic development and various parts of
employment promotion that are not necessarily connected to planning. Most of the discussions
revolved around the need to generate a comprehensive economic plan that accounts for various
elements, such as daycare facilities, commerce, employment, transportation, education, and
welfare (building on the analysis presented by Tzvika Mintz). This would create a range of
employment solutions to accommodate different demographic groups.
The second group focused on the specific characteristics of women’s employment in East
Jerusalem and the various possibilities to create jobs at or near women’s homes, thus addressing
their particular obstacles to work.
The third group addressed developing tourism as a relevant source of income, especially in the
more central neighborhoods. East Jerusalem appears to have a great deal of tourism potential,
which has not been realized. Most of the discussion emphasized the possibility of tourism at the
community/neighborhood level as an element of a local, sustainable economy.
The main conclusions reached are summarized below:
Local economy-oriented planning:
Draw up a comprehensive economic program at the neighborhood scale which addresses

various aspects of local employment and economy while taking advantage of local opportunities. It
is essential to begin economic development at the neighborhood level, with work close to home
and within the community, allowing for a more gradual change.
Create an urban tourism plan that includes various aspects of the industry such as hospitality,
cuisine, tours, and arts.
Access to a broader range of employment options:
Mixed-use real-estate: There is currently a local need and desire for local employment within
the existing urban fabric. This would allow women to remain close to their homes and children. It
can be achieved with a general statutory change or the construction of new business districts by
granting additional construction rights to places of business, commerce, and tourism that already
exist. It is essential to ensure that new mixed-use real estate does not significantly disrupt or
inconvenience the neighborhood residents.
The participants emphasized the importance of access to quality employment in neighborhood
centers and throughout the city (via public transportation).

Complementary physical development:
Improve and expand existing structures: Initial efforts should build upon what already exists.
There has already been a strong start in generating commerce along main streets. This trend
should be reinforced and expanded through the renovation of storefronts/facades and
improvements to parking and accessibility.
Additional land allocation for business, commerce, and tourism, especially along main
neighborhood streets, but in a manner that does not disturb the residents.
Address the neighborhood’s appearance as an element tied to economic implications:
infrastructure and waste disposal, sidewalk cleanliness, operation and maintenance of the public
space, parking, and pedestrian walkways can be improved. It is this vital that the public and
commercial space be planned and properly managed.
Create a network of pathways (for bicycles, pedestrians, segues) for both residents and tourists,
which provide access to significant sites and landmarks.
Training and other complementary measures:
Encourage organized, online work from home: This is more applicable and accessible than other
options, and it is already happening. This option is essential for the employment of women and
other people who cannot travel far from home. Even an additional 2,000-3,000 NIS per month
could make a significant difference to a household. Working online from home can be a suitable
option for educated women.
Overcoming the language barrier is a significant obstacle to employment access, especially for
women.
Investments and dedicated local commercial centers:
Public investment in private lands: Involving the state in managing private property goes against
the prevailing worldview. However, market forces cannot bear the costs of quality entrepreneurial
economic development. If the Municipality seeks to raise the employment rate, institutional
interventions must occur. For example, public investment in private enterprises through
cooperation with businesspeople and investors in East Jerusalem.
Creating a hub for women: A women’s employment center (by public or private initiative) would
function as an incubator for small businesses and a site for daycare facilities, Hebrew language
education, and recreation (cafes, women’s gym, hair salon, library).
Creating a business hub: A center for learning and employment. Models such as We-Work should
be tried. They appeal primarily to young people but could be relevant in this context. This carries
complex operational requirements, and physical sites would be more difficult to find.
Organizing and forming community networks:
Hold a conference for businesspeople in East Jerusalem to introduce them to new ideas and
people.
Build an information and employment network through community leaders and other channels.
Conduct professional training in internet advertising, Hebrew language, computers, and
management.
Create a network of women for local tourism: one can cook, another can host, another can lead
tours in the market…
Connect the large hotels to the local experiences (women who cook, neighborhood tours, etc.).

Promoting tourism as a relevant source of income:
Create an urban tourism promotion center to provide training, publicity, guidance, management
assistance, and loans. Perhaps the community councils could serve as such centers.
Establish contact with the large hotels, informing them of local attractions and activities.
Utilize religious tourism during Ramadan, when tourism consists primarily of visitors from
Northern Israel.
Utilize the weekend potential: A time when commercial activity in West Jerusalem is shut down
for Shabbat, while East Jerusalem is full of life.
Expand hospitality options beyond hotels, and incorporate various forms of home hospitality.
Introduce in-home cooking lessons: Visitors shop in the market, then cook and eat with the
residents, particularly women. This can be done in homes, in dedicated kitchens on roofs or with
separate entrances, or in shared outdoor kitchens dedicated to this purpose.
Promote arts of various types: Traditional handcrafted goods, music, and photography
workshops in Jerusalem.
Tours: Rooftop tours, neighborhood tours, culinary tours, eco-tourism.
Concluding Table: Employment and economic development -
Topic Project Idea
Local economy- Draw up a comprehensive economic plan on a neighborhood scale.

oriented planning
Create an urban tourism plan.
Incorporate mixed-land use in the current urban fabric to allow for

Access to varied employment close to home without commuting to other parts of the
employment city. Does not require building new business districts.
options
Promote access to quality employment throughout the city (via
public transport).
Improve and expand existing structures: Encourage commerce in the

Complementary thoroughfares by renovating façades/street fronts improving access
physical and parking.
development

Provide additional land uses for business, commerce, and tourism,
especially along main neighborhood streets.
Improve neighborhoods’ appearance – infrastructure and waste

removal, sidewalk cleanliness, public space maintenance, parking,
etc.
Establish a network of pathways providing access to tourist spots –
provide access to bicycles, segues, and pedestrians.

Establish a network of pathways providing access to tourist
Investments and
spots – provide access to bicycles, segues, and pedestrians.
dedicated centers

Build a business hub – A learning and employment center like
We-Work, primarily for young users.
Build a business hub for women – This would function as an

incubator for small businesses and a site for daycare facilities,
Hebrew language instruction, and recreation (coffee shops,
women’s gym, hair salon, library).
Training and Organize online work from home.

complementary
measures Overcome the language barrier – a significant obstacle to

employment access, especially for women.
Community Organize a conference for businesspeople in East Jerusalem

organizing and
networks Encourage micro-businesses: Organize networking for local

workers, emphasizing working from home.

Foster connections between the large hotels and the local
attractions (women who cook, neighborhood tours, etc.)
Establish a women’s network for local tourism: coordinate
various women who can cook, host, or lead tours of the
market.
Strengthen information networks to improve employment
access.
Establish an urban tourism center: Training, guidance, loans,
Promoting tourism management assistance, publicity, etc. At community councils

or elsewhere.

Promote arts and local crafts: Traditional art (various

handicrafts), music, pottery, photography workshops in

Jerusalem, etc.
Micro-tourism: Local tourism, home hospitality.
Design rooftop tours, neighborhood tours, culinary tours, eco-

tourism.
Utilize the business potential during times when commerce in
West Jerusalem is inactive.

Conclusion
Issues to focus on for future action
The four platform meetings provided opportunities for rich discussions that covered many topics
and a wide range of ideas and directions for future courses of action. These are presented above in
the report’s separate chapters, devoted to (1) public space, (2) land registration, (3) transportation,
and (4) employment and local economy. Each of the four chapters has a concluding table, which
summarizes the suggested courses of action during the discussions.
Of course, we are aware that not all relevant issues associated with providing high-quality
development in East Jerusalem have been addressed here. In particular, we did not discuss the
potential options and obstacles involved in the essential task of quantitatively and qualitatively
developing the housing possibilities in East Jerusalem. This is most definitely a critical issue that
we chose not to address within this framework. Therefore, this document should not be seen as a
comprehensive summary of all of the research, activity, and complexity of East Jerusalem. Instead,
it summarizes the particular and partial points of view and fields of interest that came up during
the Platform meetings. Nevertheless, we believe that the shared information, discussion, and
thought processes at the core of these meetings provided new and valuable points of view on
some of the issues we addressed.
In summarizing the main points of the Platform’s activity, we identified several multidisciplinary
fields of activity with the potential to influence many aspects of residents’ lives. In what follows,
we present an integrative approach for our concluding proposals. The following is a series of
actions or points of reference that we identify as ones that may address many issues and
challenges:
1 | A well-run public space as a foundation for economic welfare and development and the
improvement of urban quality of life
One of the central topics that arose from the various meetings is the importance of high-quality,
well-run public space as a basis for significant economic development and as a means of improving
urban quality of life and the individual well-being of the residents of East Jerusalem. The public
domain in East Jerusalem includes both public and open spaces, both of which are scarce and
underdeveloped in all neighborhoods. It also consists of a network of local streets and pathways.
Most of the conclusions from our discussions were ultimately addressed as holding the most
significant potential for sweeping change.
1.1 | Streets as primary public spaces and economic springboards
The central role of neighborhood streets in East Jerusalem arose in our discussions often. Roads
are, or have the potential to be, significant public spaces that can serve as economic springboards
to develop various business opportunities. At the same time, these streets also play an essential
and active role in shaping the local identity and residents’ sense of belonging to their
neighborhood.
Conclusion 33
Therefore, we recommend focusing efforts on developing the neighborhoods’ more prominent
streets in a multi-faceted manner that incorporates mixed land use for business, commerce, and
tourism alongside residential services. Such development would also include expanding the public
transportation and pedestrian networks and improving various aspects of the public spaces’ quality
through renovation, infrastructure overhaul, cleanliness campaigns, and branding.
Our discussions suggested that development should improve existing streets whenever possible
rather than implement innovations requiring demolition or expropriation. If possible, statutory
changes should be made to reflect the realities in the field, enhancing and empowering current
trends. That said, it is clear that in some (few) cases, a more massive ‘face lift’ is required, which
would allow for a significant increase in building rights, the creation of business centers, and the
development of a fully functional public transportation system. In such cases, it is imperative to
identify mechanisms that provide the greatest amount of public participation in the planning and
development processes.
We wish to suggest several integrated courses of action designed to promote employment, create
quality public spaces, improve transportation, and consequently also improve the local economy:
Develop and upgrade the physical environment: quality environmental development,

infrastructure overhauls, adding street furnishings, and improving access.
Mixed and varied land use – locating commerce, business, public, and community centers on
major neighborhood streets.
Allow diverse functions and activities at different times – including the possibility of closing off
streets or spaces for public use at certain times of the day or on certain days.
Prioritize the needs of pedestrians and make the streets a primary public space that is accessible
to all. This means providing shaded streets, pleasant corners to sit at, and commercial areas and
cafes, all of which can compensate for the significant lack of open and recreational spaces in East
Jerusalem.
Emphasize access by public transportation. Streets must be adapted for public transportation
use, stops should be designed as focal points at a neighborhood scale, and routes and bus
frequencies should suit communal needs.
1.2 | Flexible use of available land and public space
The discussions raised the need to use the currently available land designated for general purposes
to increase the amount of land available for community activities and use them as an alternative
solution to the expropriation of lands for public use. Suggestions for possible utilization included
recommendations to:
Implement temporary use of public or private land not currently utilized as playgrounds or
venues for outdoor cultural/recreational activity.
Identify private lands in central areas that are not currently built and use them for public
purposes until they are developed.
Close streets to traffic at specific times and repurpose them as functioning public spaces.
Add new activities to spaces already being used by the public: use rooftops and yards of public
buildings more intensively to compensate for the lack of public open space.
It must be noted that all of these suggestions, especially those that incorporate lands or structures
that are privately owned, must not be implemented unilaterally or by force but by mutual
agreement. Unilateral action will only increase the public’s distrust and decrease the chances of
improving current affairs.
Conclusion 34
1.3 | Creating public spaces: A relevant compensation mechanism for expropriating land for
public use
The need to create an agreed-upon compensation mechanism for cases where expropriation or
demolition are unavoidable arose in multiple contexts. Such a model would serve a dual purpose:
(a) to consensually define spaces for public use and (b) to build trust with the community of East
Jerusalem. Since the residents of East Jerusalem are not open to receiving monetary compensation
for land, and in light of the conflicts and lack of feasibility associated with expropriation without
consent, we suggest promoting a model based on community agreements and compensation in the
form of additional building rights. Such a model could be promoted as part of the responsibilities of
the new managing body we recommend below, which would be charged with mediating between
the authorities and the residents and facilitating agreements about expropriating lands for building
public buildings and other forms of public infrastructure.
2 | Public and professional involvement in priority-setting and plan implementation.
In every topic we discussed, we noted the importance of generating mechanisms to increase public
participation (both general and professional) in decision-making on planning spaces, determining
priorities, and project implementation. One of the significant challenges this involves is enlisting
cooperation in implementing initiatives and incorporating local knowledge into the project
prioritization process. This requires mediation mechanisms by which local knowledge can be
gathered. The community can be encouraged to work with the authorities, even if other essential
differences of opinion or perception remain unresolved. Such mechanisms might include efforts to:
2.1 | Develop a local language to address public space in East Jerusalem
As we have already explained, developing the public space in East Jerusalem requires hyper-
localized planning and organizational and managerial attention. Based on the Platform's multiple
discussions about the public space, we conclude that a specialized language for East Jerusalem’s
public space must be developed. It could accurately reflect the types of use that are most relevant
to the residents.
2.2 | Implement community mapping
Methodologies for community mapping should be developed and implemented to address several
issues about the public space, municipal services, and public transportation. This would make it
possible to reveal each neighborhood’s specific problems and needs more accurately. Such
mapping would help create a solid foundation of real-world information about each
neighborhood's state of services, maintenance, and operation. This information could then serve as
a basis for cooperation with various authorities to improve the quality of the neighborhood’s
services.
2.3 | Introduce a local body responsible for public space management and project
implementations
The goal of this body would be to mediate between neighborhoods and the authorities, making it
possible to identify needs, set priorities, consolidate resources for significant projects, manage
their implementation, and oversee the day-to-day management of the public space. This body
could be responsible for planning and development and daily operations. It could also help pass
information from the municipal authorities to the residents.
Conclusion 35
Finally, this body could work to develop public-private cooperative ventures designed to improve
and expand the use of public spaces in the neighborhoods, and particularly the use of the streets.
The community councils could fulfill this function if provided with the necessary resources,
support, and training.
2.4 | Open local information, training, and employment centers/hubs:
Considering the lack of access, combined with the rising need for information, knowledge, training,
and skills, our discussions suggested that community networks should be created to address
various aspects of the local economy, through which data can be accessed and distributed,
knowledge and skills can be shared, and local organization supported:
Local hubs to address these issues (like a hub devoted to women’s employment) can be a basis
for such community networks. For example, a center dedicated to tourism would provide training,
guidance, loans, management assistance, publicity, etc. Such a place could also offer networking
and cooperation opportunities for different service providers.
A comprehensive database devoted to planning and implementation would gather all available
information from the various plans currently being promoted by multiple parties. This would make
the data transparent and accessible to the public and make it possible to prioritize projects and
make decisions based on an overall view of the situation. Such a database could also reveal
inconsistencies between the statutory situation and the situation in the field, allowing action to
adapt the former to the latter.
2.5 | Explore alternatives to land registration:
The legal/property/registration status of lands in East Jerusalem is complicated and, in many cases,
is a significant obstacle to development. Moreover, land ownership incorporates profound cultural
and emotional implications. As a result, almost any reference to the topic raises concerns and a
significant public lack of trust in the authorities and any development they have initiated. Despite
the care that is being taken following the government's decision to regularize the status of the
land, there are still many practical difficulties involved in its implementation. Our report’s primary
recommendation on this topic is to create and operate alternative mechanisms to formal land
registration. The common denominator in all three of the tools we suggest is that they are based
on acknowledging intra-community agreements and their expansion, when necessary, through
processes of mediation and participation. Another guiding principle is the acknowledgment of the
collective community representation of the Palestinian neighborhoods as participants in issues of
planning and construction through the community councils:
Allowing shadow registration as a basis for intelligent decision making: Mapping the land in
cooperation with the interested parties to determine the divisions commonly accepted by the
community and using that as the basis for a plan or decisions about how to position land use.
Though this would have no legal validity, it would have community validity and be carried out as a
public and transparent process.
Creating community-council registration committees would consist of professionals approved by
the community and the authorities. They would assess land claims and help the governing
authorities and the residents clarify contested situations. The committees would help residents
understand what is required from them to regularize or develop their lands and would allow the
authorities to understand the claim’s validity and whether there are any objections in the
community to its regularization or development.
Conclusion 36
Insisting on the community council’s right to submit plans: Strengthening the community
council’s representative status as a substantial participant in neighborhood planning processes and
challenging the legal position that denies community councils the option of submitting plans on the
residents’ behalf.
2.6 | Develop micro-tourism:
Discussions on various topics addressed the great potential of developing tourism, especially in the
neighborhoods close to the city center. This development could contribute significantly to
employment and to improving the maintenance and cleanliness of public spaces. It could also
improve pedestrian and vehicular access within and between the neighborhoods. The discussions
focused on local, small-scale tourism (home cooking and hospitality, tours, arts, eco-tourism, etc.),
which would create and support local, sustainable systems. Tourism development can also lean on
community networks of local and home-based businesses, lending support to these networks and
increasing internal community relations. We proposed writing neighborhood-wide comprehensive
plans that would address local tourism development.
Conclusion 37
Appendix 1
Meeting protocols
Appendix 38
Appendix 2
Posters on the topic of transportation in the daily lives of
East Jerusalem residents
Appendix 39

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The East Jerusalem Planners' Platform

A series of meetings for planners working in

Public and professional involvement in setting priorities and implementation processes:

Developing public space

Economic development and employment

Link to Urban Clinic Website

Developing Public Spaces 9

Developing Public Spaces 10

The primary insights from these discussions are summarized below:

Streets as primary public spaces:

Developing Public Spaces 11

Temporarily increasing the use of open public spaces:

Developing Public Spaces 12

Developing Public Spaces 13

Goals Possible mechanisms for promotion

Write a policy paper: The Street as a Public

Include community planners in part of the

Identify potential sites and spaces. Introduce a preliminary local mapping

Promote sites in the context of existing

Link to Urban Clinic Website

Land and Planning, Licensing and Building 15

Land and Planning, Licensing and Building 16

Temporary Provisions – A legal arrangement to moderate or freeze the expropriation of

Legally challenging the legitimacy of the Administrator General’s custody of absentee

Adopting the Beit Hanina Ownership Committee model

This group addressed the possibility of forming a committee composed of residents’

Land and Planning, Licensing and Building 17

Concluding Table: Land Registration -

Ideas for promoting land registration

Insist upon the community council’s right to submit plans.

Land and Planning, Licensing and Building 18

Link to Urban Clinic Website

issues Related to East Jerusalem's Transit Network 19

The following experts presented responses and additional viewpoints:

issues Related to East Jerusalem's Transit Network 20

issues Related to East Jerusalem's Transit Network 21

issues Related to East Jerusalem's Transit Network 22

Compensation mechanisms: When there is no alternative but to demolish or expropriate, a

issues Related to East Jerusalem's Transit Network 23

Mechanism Ideas for potential action

Promote a coalition of residents and public transportation service

Form a community parking enforcement network.

Inform residents about new planning initiatives, and invite their

Economic Institute compensation mechanisms: When demolition or expropriation

Provide government loans and grants to help the companies operating

issues Related to East Jerusalem's Transit Network 24

Link to Urban Clinic Website

Employment and Economic Development in East Jerusalem 25

Employment and Economic Development in East Jerusalem 26

Increasing social work positions.

Employment and Economic Development in East Jerusalem 27

This lecture was followed by a discussion, which raised several issues:

Employment and Economic Development in East Jerusalem 28

The main conclusions reached are summarized below:

Local economy-oriented planning:

Draw up a comprehensive economic program at the neighborhood scale which addresses

Access to a broader range of employment options:

Employment and Economic Development in East Jerusalem 29