On July 15th Jerusalem's planning and construction sub-committee approved a plan to construct a new section of Givat Hamatos, a neighborhood located west of Derech Hebron Road and Beit Safafa, south of Talpyiot. The newly approved plan includes an area with 2500 housing units. A total of 4000 housing units are planned for the Givat Hamatos neighborhood. The proposed neighborhood,  drawn up by the Israel Land Administration, has been sub-divided into four different plans, which have been variously suspended in the last 18 years.

The Givat Hamatos plan is of particular importance, since it deals with one of the most complex areas in Jerusalem and will designate how land may be used in and around the Palestinian village of Beit Safafa. In light of the location of the village, Israeli construction plans in Givat Hamatos will make final status territorial arrangements based on the Clinton parameters in the Beit Safafa area difficult, if not impossible.

Ir Amim has submitted objections against two of the four plans. In March 2008 Ir Amim submitted its objections to the Jerusalem Regional Planning and Construction Committee's plan of constructing 2337 new residential units in Givat Hamatos. The main objection was that the plan as it stood would break the current stability in the village of Beit Safafa and harm the fabric of the neighborhood, as well as residents’ private ownership rights.     

Additional Information:

Giv'at Hamatos Map More information about the plan (from the ILA website)