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NEWS
Jerusalem Municipality Approves Parking Lot for Kever Shimon Hatzaddik Visitors
By Yechiel Sever
The City of Jerusalem has approved the construction of a 1-acre parking lot for visitors coming to the grave site of Shimon Hatzaddik to pray. The project's backers, including the site director from the National Center for the Development of Holy Sites, plan to pave roads that provide better access and to remove the storage containers placed there by a Palestinian man who claims he owns the area.
"He arrived at the site a few months ago, saying it belonged to him," said the site director. "Visitors don't have enough room to park their cars. This is our land, and that's how it should remain."
The twisty road leading to the site has posed a problem for years. Moreover, because of the lack of parking, visitors had to park their cars in the alleys of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, which has seen years of friction between its Jewish and Arab residents.
On numerous occasions cars have been damaged by Arabs who knew they were owned by Jews.
In addition to approving the projects, the Jerusalem Municipality plans to channel money to cover the renovation of the entrance to the site.
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