Ramat Shlomo

Ramat Shlomo (Hebrew: רמת שלמה‎, lit. Shlomo's (Solomon's) Heights) is a large Jewish housing development in northern East Jerusalem.^[1][2] The population, mostly ultra-Orthodox, is 20,000.^[3] Ramat Shlomo was built on land formerly occupied by Jordan from 1948 through 1967 and captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War and occupied since.^[4][5][6][7] In a move ruled null and void by the UN Security Council, Israel subsequently unilaterally annexed East Jerusalem and surrounding areas. Ramot Shlomo is considered an Israeli settlement by the international community,^[8][9][10] although Israel disputes this and considers it a neighborhood within the municipal boundaries of Jerusalem.^[5] The international community considers Israeli settlements to be illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.^[11][12]

History

Ramat Shlomo

Ramat Shlomo was founded in 1995. It borders Ramot to the west, Har Hotzvim to the south, and Shuafat to the east. Initially called Reches Shuafat (Shuafat Ridge), it was later named for Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach.^[13][14]

Originally Ramat Shlomo was supposed to be the site of the Teddy Stadium.^[14] After lengthy protest by Haredi Jews living in neighborhoods overlooking the future stadium, the stadium was moved to the Malha neighbourhood.^[15]

Less than 200 meters separate the neighborhood's furthermost houses from the first row of homes in Shuafat and Beit Hanina.^[16]

In June 2008, Israel's interior ministry approved construction of an additional 1,300 apartments in Ramat Shlomo.^[17] Israel says that most of the building is on land annexed by the state and thus does not violate its commitment not to build on disputed land.^[18]

In March 2010, the Jerusalem municipality approved the construction of an additional 1,600 apartments in Ramat Shlomo.^[2] The announcement coincided with the visit of U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden, angering the U.S. government^[9] and prompting the Palestinian Authority to pull out of US-brokered indirect "proximity talks" intended to revive the peace process.^[19] The European Union was also critical of the decision.^[20]Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu replied that Israel's policy on building in Jerusalem was the same policy followed by all Israeli governments over the past 42 years, and had not changed. ^[21]

In October 2014, Netanyahu approved the construction of 660 additional units,^[22] followed by an additional 500 in November.^[23]

Political status

The neighborhood is across the Green Line^[24] on land captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed to Israel in a move not recognised by the international community.^[4][5][6][7] As such it is considered an Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem by the international community.^[8][9][10] Israel disputes this and considers Ramat Shlomo to be a neighborhood within the Israeli designated borders of Jerusalem.^[5] The New York Times printed an article referring to Ramat Shlomo as a settlement in the West Bank and two days later issued a correction, stating that "[i]t is a neighborhood in East Jerusalem, not a settlement in the West Bank".^[25]

The international community considers Israeli settlements to be illegal under international law, violating the Fourth Geneva Convention's prohibition on transferring civilian population into territory held under military occupation. Israel disputes that East Jerusalem is occupied territory and rejects that settlements are illegal.^[26][27]

Archaeology

A quarry from the period of the Second Temple was found at Ramat Shlomo. King Herod used stones from this quarry for his massive construction project which expanded the Temple Mount. Stones extracted from the quarry were of the magnitude of several tons.^[28]

Landmarks

Chabad center in Ramat Shlomo

The Chabad Synagogue in Ramat Shlomo is an exact replica of Lubavitch World Headquarters, known simply as "770" at 770 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, New York. ^[29]

See also

• Positions on Jerusalem

References

Neighborhoods of Jerusalem Jerusalem neighborhoods east of the 1949 armistice line are depicted in green, those west of the line in blue (see Green Line). Old City Armenian Quarter Christian Quarter Muristan Jewish Quarter Muslim Quarter Bab al-Huta Central Neighborhoods Arzei HaBira Batei Ungarin Beit David Beit Ya'akov Beit Yisrael Bukharim Downtown Triangle Geula Givat HaVradim Givat Ram Katamon Kerem Avraham Kiryat HaLeom Kiryat HaMemshala Kiryat Shmuel Kiryat Shomrei Emunim Kiryat Wolfson Ma'alot Dafna Mahane Israel Mahane Yehuda Mazkeret Moshe Mea Shearim Mekor Baruch Mishkenot Sha'ananim Mount Zion Musrara Nahalat Shiv'a Nachlaot Nayot Neve Granot Neve Sha'anan Rehavia Romema Rova Mevo Ha'ir Russian Compound Sha'arei Hesed Shmuel HaNavi Talbiya Yemin Moshe Zikhron Moshe Zikhron Yosef Northern Neighborhoods Al-Ram Beit Hanina Ezrat Torah French Hill Givat HaMivtar Har Hotzvim Kafr 'Aqab Kiryat Belz Kiryat Mattersdorf Kiryat Sanz Mount Scopus Neve Yaakov Pisgat Ze'ev Ramat Eshkol Ramat Shlomo Ramot Ramot Polin Sanhedria Sanhedria Murhevet Shikun Chabad Shuafat Tel Arza Unsdorf Eastern Neighborhoods American Colony Al Bustan Al-Issawiya At-Tur Bab a-Zahara Ir David Jabel Mukaber Kiryat Menachem Begin Ma'ale ha-Zeitim Nachalat Shimon Nof Zion Ras al-Amud Sheikh Jarrah Shimon HaTzadik Silwan Wadi al-Joz Southern Neighborhoods Abu Tor Arnona Baka Beit Safafa East Talpiot German Colony Gilo Givat HaMatos Givat Oranim Givat Massuah Greek colony Har Homa Katamonim Malha Mekor Chaim Pat Ramat Rachel San Simon Sharafat Sur Baher Talpiot Umm Tuba Western Neighborhoods Bayit VeGan Beit HaKerem Ein Karem Givat Beit HaKerem Givat Shaul Givat Mordechai Har Nof Ir Ganim Kiryat HaYovel Kiryat Menachem Kiryat Moshe Motza Ramat Beit HaKerem Ramat Denya Ramat Sharett Yefeh Nof Historical Neighborhoods Atarot Batei Munkacs Batei Saidoff Ezrat Yisrael Kirya Ne'emana Knesset Yisrael Lifta Mamilla Moroccan Quarter Ohel Shlomo Sha'arei Yerushalayim Sheikh Badr See also: Ring Neighborhoods

Coordinates: 31°48′37.72″N 35°13′4.97″E / 31.8104778°N 35.2180472°E / 31.8104778; 35.2180472