Forty-one years after the “unification” of the city, ACRI publishes alarming facts and figures about East Jerusalem, home to some 250,000 Palestinians, pointing to severe neglect and discrimination by the Jerusalem Municipality and Israeli authorities. These residents of the city hold permanent residency status and as such have the right to receive the same social benefits as all Israeli citizens, such as social security, public education, and postal service. Yet, ACRI’s research points to systemic discrimination in building and planning, continuous expropriation of lands, and minimal investment in infrastructure and services, despite the State’s and Municipality’s legal obligations to provide equally for all residents of Jerusalem.
From the report:
· 67% of Palestinian families in Jerusalem live below the poverty line, compared with 21% of Jewish families.
· Some 160,000 East Jerusalem residents are not connected to a regular running water supply.
· East Jerusalem lacks 1,500 classrooms; those children who have a place in public schools learn in crowded and uncomfortable conditions.
· East Jerusalem’s school dropout rate is 50%.
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