Haaretz newspaper reported that the Israeli Planning and Building Committee is set on Wednesday to approve a project for the construction of dozens of housing units on a Palestinian historical site in Abu Tor neighborhood in East Jerusalem.
The Hebrew newspaper said that the project which will be built on a hilltop overlooking the Old City is expected to destroy the area and spoil the view of the Old City.
According to the paper the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III in 2013 sold property in that area to the Jewish-American businessman Michael Steinhardt and the Jewish-British businessman David Sofer.
It noted that the site is holy to Christians and Muslims and has great historical and archaeological significance especially that it contains archaeological remains a number of churches and Abu Tor monastery that was established during the World War II.
The plan which has drawn strong opposition from local residents particularly Christians includes the construction of two large six-floor buildings and three smaller ones with 61 luxury apartments in addition to a public park on about half of the area.
Member of the Orthodox Central Committee Uday al-Bagali told the Hebrew newspaper that he does not comprehend how the Patriarch could sell this holy site that contains many important archaeological finds.
Recent reports have revealed that the Patriarch sold a large number of real estate and thousands of dunums of land in Jerusalem the West Bank and the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories to Jewish businessmen and associations at very low prices.
