East Jerusalem hotel demolished

JERUSALEM, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Crews leveled a section of the historic east Jerusalem Shepherd Hotel to make way for the development of 20 Jewish housing units, officials said Sunday.

Bulldozers demolished a wing of the hotel located in the predominantly Arab east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, to pave the way for 20 housing units for Jewish residents and a parking lot for, Haaretz reported.

The move was approved by the Jerusalem District Planning and Building Council last year despite heavy condemnation from U.S. President Barack Obama's administration, the newspaper said.

American Jewish business tycoon Irving Moskowitz purchased the hotel for $1 million in 1985. Moskowitz is also an influential supporter of Ateret Cohanim, the group that promotes a heightened Jewish presence in east Jerusalem, Haaretz said.

The hotel was once the home of Jerusalem mufti Haj Amin al-Husseini.

While the demolition was welcomed by some, Peace Now secretary general Yariv Oppenheimer told Ynetnews.com, "Netanyahu and (Jerusalem Mayor) Nir Barkat have decided to isolate themselves from the world and allow Moskowitz and his friends in the extreme right to take over east Jerusalem like thieves in the night."

The Solidarity Movement for Sheikh Jarrah issued a statement saying "the gang of settlers is continuing to grab the entire country by the balls, and their yes men Bibi (Binyamin Netanyahu) and (Defense Minister Ehud) Barak are continuing to destroy the country."

Palestinian Authority negotiater Saeb Erekat condemned the demolition and warned such actions would prevent peace negotiations from continuing. "As long as this government continues with settlement and acts like the demolition of the Shepherd Hotel there will no negotiations," The Jerusalem Post quoted him saying.