East Jerusalem in no hurry to join PA

Tzipi Malkoff
May 18, 2007, Jerusalem supplement

The community administration leaders in East Jerusalem agree: despite the poor quality of life, neglect and education system hardships, we shall remain part of the Jerusalem Municipality, not the Palestinian Authority. "The Municipality does not lift a finger for us, but at the same time no-one has the right to tell us where to live" declared Zoheir Hamdan, Jabel Mukaber mukhtar.
"Everything is in ruins in my village, there are no roads, no sidewalks, no sewage system. Yet I do not agree, and neither do most of the village residents, that we should become part of the PA. I think a referendum is in order before our fate is decided".
The head of the community administration of Beit Hanina, Muhammad Masri: "I can't understand why people are so happy celebrating the reunification. As soon as you cross into East Jerusalem there is filth and neglect." Yet despite the frustration, the division of Jerusalem is a no-no for him: "The Palestinian Authority is in total anarchy".
The Jaffa gate shopkeepers' union head, Kahk Mazen, representing 40 shopkeepers, prefers to remain under Israeli rule: "Although the Municipality invests in East Jerusalem only half of what it invests in West Jerusalem, I still believe that Arabs live a relatively good life under Israeli rule. Jerusalem cannot be divided again. We don't even want to hear about the Palestinian Authority."
But not everyone agrees. Fouad Abu-Hamed, member of the Sur-Baher community administration complains about 19th century living conditions: "Our village wants to join the Palestinian Authority, rather than sitting around and being jealous of the Jews."
The Jerusalem Municipality is aware of the differences between East and West and about the severe situation of the Arab villages, which require heavy investments and governmental intervention. However, we were told that "the welfare department of the municipality offers financial assistance to needy families. The Municipality has been making efforts to assign suitable locations for schools, such as have been built in Umm-Touba and Sur-Baher since 2006. New similar projects are under way. As to the infrastructure, the Municipality is currently renovating existing roads and institutions and planning new ones."