“Strengthening Jerusalem is a natural part of the revival of our people,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a special Cabinet meeting marking Jerusalem Day at the Knesset Museum in downtown Jerusalem on Sunday.
“There are very few peoples whose capital today is the same as it was 3,000 years ago, but certainly there is no other case in which a people lost its capital, lost its sovereignty, lost its land, and returned to reestablish its sovereignty and its capital in the original place,” the Prime Minister’s Office quoted Netanyahu as saying.
“This demonstrates the strength of the people of Israel, and that strength is being revealed today on the battlefield by our wonderful generation of fighters, and also by our people, who are standing firm in the face of all these challenges,” he continued.
Netanyahu enumerated the government’s plans to advance the capital.
“Today, we are bringing a special budget for fortifying the Western Wall [against possible enemy missile attacks], developing infrastructure there, and advancing archaeological excavations that continually uncover new discoveries that strengthen our connection ... to this wondrous and sacred place,” the premier said.
Second, the government is looking to invest in the Shalva National Center, a performances venue located in Jerusalem’s Bayit VeGan neighborhood that also serves the community of people with disabilities, Netanyahu said.
Third, Netanyahu spoke of the Mamilla Pool, located outside the walls of the Old City. This was an “enormous ancient reservoir that collected the Mamilla drainage basin ..., [one today] filled with thorns and neglect. … But not from tomorrow onward,” he said.
The government approved a budget for the municipality to turn the site into a public space filled with water again to serve the children and other residents of Jerusalem, Netanyahu said.
Lastly, the prime minister mentioned the heritage center being built in Atarot, north of Jerusalem, which will serve as an aviation and Zionist pioneer museum.
“No government has [invested in Jerusalem] like ours, with great force, enthusiasm and momentum,” Netanyahu said.
