Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat announced the cable car that will bring visitors to the Old City will pass over Silwan. Speaking with Likud activists, he displayed the projected route of the cable car. He explained that by traveling over Silwan, it will show who is actually running the city.

The original plan called for four stops; near the Tachanah Rishonah, the Kahn Theater, the Kedem facility in Silwan that is run by the Elad NGO and near the Seven Arches Hotel on Har HaZeisim to the area near Lion’s Gate.

In the video uploaded last week to the mayor’s Facebook page he is seen addressing the Likud activists and the planned Silwan cable car stop. By design, the Kedem station is the most important in the project as it will connect to cable cars from three directions – Har HaZeisim, Gat Shmanim (Gethsemane) and Breikhat Shiloach (City of David).

The mayor spoke of the economic and tourist aspects of the project as well as the ideological goals. He spoke of the archaeological effort associated with the project to reveal the stairs of Shiloach to Har Habayis and the rehabilitation plan for the future. “I want both Jews and non-Jews to be able to recreate this experience. Anyone wishing to take a dip (Breikhat Shiloach) and go up towards Har Habayis, anyone doing this will know exactly who is baal habayis of the city” the mayor added.

Barkat added,” When we get to that experience (tour of historic Jewish sites), even the leftists get totally confused because they understand that it is real and our connections to Jerusalem are eternal. This experience will also produce a means of transport”.

He boasts how it will permit traveling from Ancient Holy Jerusalem without a vehicle, without a bus and “what you are seeing today is how Jerusalem will look tomorrow” he told his audience. Barkat is confident this will bring 10 million tourists who will visit these sites, permitting them to do so but this cannot be accomplished without the infrastructure of the cable system, light rail, fast rail, hotels and more.

The mayor actually announced his cable car plan back in 2013, and it has been delayed. He adds other advantages is that it will reduce the number of buses and cars and thereby emissions, adding that when probed two years ago, the price tag for the project was NIS 125 million.

Despite his optimism, there is no doubt there is a political aspect and this is where the objections are going to be audible to all since most of the route of the cable car is over the so-called Green Line and in proximity to Har Habayis, Har Tzion and Har HaZeisim. One can be certain the PA (Palestinian Authority) will be first in line to bring a case against the cable car to the international community.

In an official statement from City Hall, no mention is made of the mayor’s statement that the cable car will show who runs the city, stating “The mayor’s vision for the cable car connecting the centers relevant to the three religions of the Old City Basin is currently being formulated by professions and when the plan is actually mature, it will be discussed in the relevant committees. The cable car project is part of a comprehensive transportation network that includes the light rail and mass transit system that will enable fast, secure, efficient and environmentally friendly transport and accommodate millions of visitors annually.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)