Failed Grade- The Education System in East Jerusalem August 2010

Despite the fact that Israeli Education Law requires the State to provide education services to all residents of Israel, including Palestinian children in East Jerusalem, there continues to be a severe shortage of more than 1,000 classrooms.  This shortage, as well as the sub-standard conditions of existing classrooms, has led more than 40,000 pupils to turn to exclusive private schools, while approximately 5,300 children do not attend school at all. Despite the promises of Israeli authorities to the High Court of Justice in 2007 to build 645 classrooms by 2011, not much has changed since then.

"Jerusalem 2000"- the New Master Plan June 2010

Addressing "Jerusalem 2000," the city's new master plan, this report highlights the plan's political agenda and argues that the plan will have far-reaching consequences for the feasibility of reaching a negotiated political resolution over the city's future.  Ir Amim warns that implementing this plan could exacerbate the already complicated and tense situation in Jerusalem, perpetuate the planning chaos, and harm Israel at both the international and political levels.

Making Bricks Without Straw: The Jerusalem Municipality’s New Planning Policy for East Jerusalem Ir Amim & Bimkom report, January 2010

This report issued by Ir Amim and Bimkom examines the municipality’s new planning policy, and concludes that the current planning realities in East Jerusalem serve to thwart, de facto, nearly every Palestinian building plan, whether at the stage of approving the plan itself or later on, at the stage of issuing of a building permit.

A Layman's Guide to Home Demolitions Ir Amim Guide, March 2009

In recent weeks there has been a great deal of news coverage regarding planned home demolitions in East Jerusalem.  In response to the high volume of queries we have been receiving about the issue - focused as much on the technical aspects of Israeli home demolition policy in Jerusalem as on the demolitions themselves - we thought it would be helpful to offer this guide.

Demolitions in the Bustan Area of Silwan: Alert and Background Ir Amim Report, November 2008

On Wednesday, Nov. 5, when international attention was tuned to the U.S. election results, Israeli security forces massed at midday in the Bustan area of Silwan – adjacent to the Old City in East Jerusalem – in order to enable the demolition of two Palestinian homes. The demolition, which drew a barrage of rocks from local residents, and the firing of tear gas, rubber bullets and perhaps live fire from security forces, marks a new stage in Israeli policies in the area.  A stage that threatens to lead to the destruction of 80-90 Palestinian homes, and the displacement of hundreds of residents, making way for the expansion of the Israeli King's Valley Plan.