RAMALLAH, May 30, 2017 (WAFA) – The battle for control over East Jerusalem is taking a serious turn with Israeli plans to completely change its demographic character and culture, director of the Arab Studies Society’s Mapping Department Khalil Tafakji said on Tuesday.

Speaking to Voice of Palestine radio, Tafakji said Israel is forcing Palestinian schools to switch to the Israeli curriculum, wants to displace its Palestinians residents and plans to implement several projects in an effort to turn the city into a Jewish one.

He was referring to an Israeli plan to financially reward only East Jerusalem schools that teach the Israeli textbooks instead of the current Palestinian ones, as well as reports that Israel wants to secede two densely populated East Jerusalem neighborhoods – Shufat refugee camp and Kufr Aqab – both located behind the segregation wall but are part of the Jerusalem municipal borders in order to change the demographic character of the occupied city.

Israel also plans to build a cable car that goes over the old city of Jerusalem that is expected to change its historic and cultural character.

Tafakji said US President Donald Trump did not address the issues of East Jerusalem and Israeli settlements during his recent visit, effectively giving Israel the green light to proceed with Judaization of Jerusalem in an absolute disregard to all international resolutions, particularly UNESCO’s resolutions on Jerusalem.

K.F/M.K.