Hamaabara- a grassroot group of activists for public housing and social Justice took over an abandoned building near my home in Katamonim, owned by Na’amat women’s organization part of the Histadrut (workers union) and the Jerusalem municipality. During the last 4 months, that building served as an open community center, and the group held negotiations to legally rent the building from Naamat. Last week it was announced that the negotiations failed and that Naamat refuses to rent the building to the activists, despite the fact that the building has not been used in years and that the last person to rent the building was running a private business in it. Hamaabara activists are now facing another threat of eviction in the near days but are determined not to evacuate without a struggle- and protested today in front of the mayor Nir Barkat- against the upcoming eviction and in favor of the public housing rights of the people.
The protest included erecting a mobile Succah- a temporary house that is traditionally part of the Jewish holiday of Succoth and marching in the city with it as a metaphor for the quest for a sustainable solution to the public housing crisis.
Hama’abara activists have had negotiations with Na’amar
intifadamedia
kabarita
pizandbooby
Sergio Yahni
