Arab suburbs in East Jerusalem could be rebranded with Hebrew names

Arab suburbs in East Jerusalem could be forcibly rebranded with Hebrew names, under plans being considered by Israel's parliament.

Arab suburbs in East Jerusalem could be rebranded with Hebrew names
Most Israeli residents of East Jerusalem live in purpose-built settlements Credit: Photo: AFP PHOTO/AHMAD GHARABLI

The controversial initiative is designed to entrench Israeli "ownership" of East Jerusalem, which was captured by Israel in the Six Day War of 1967 and subsequently annexed – a move that has not been recognised by the international community.

The bill was introduced by Tzippi Hotovely, a prominent hawk in the Likud party of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister. It is understood to have the support of a majority in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, which has been accused of passing a series of anti-Palestinian laws in recent years.

Under the bill, Israeli television channels would be instructed to refer to the suburbs only by their new Hebrew names.

"The goal of the initiative is to strengthen the connection with Jerusalem by making it obligatory to give Hebrew names to neighbourhoods in the capital with Jewish residents," Miss Hotovely wrote in her proposal for the bill. "It is important that the neighbourhoods no longer be called by their Arab names."

Several dozen Israeli settlers have managed to gain a foothold in Arab suburbs, leading to frequent clashes with their Palestinian neighbours.

Earlier this month, a sniper shot dead a Palestinian boy with a bullet fired from the fourth floor window of a settler building in the suburb of Silwan, which is to be renamed "Kfar Hashiloah" if the bill is passed.

Sheikh Jarrah, the scene of weekly protests by Israelis opposed to the occupation of Palestinian territory, would become "Simon the Just", after a Jewish high priest of antiquity who is said to be buried there.

Most Israeli residents of East Jerusalem live in purpose-built settlements on the periphery rather than in Arab suburbs like Sheikh Jarrah.

Left-wing Israeli activists denounced the proposed bill as unworkable and pointed to attempts to rename former Arab suburbs in Jewish West Jerusalem that have failed to become part of common parlance.

"This is part of the attempt by the right to create a fantasy land that might go down well in the US Congress but will not be accepted anywhere else," said Daniel Seidemann, whose Ir Amim foundation works to further "Jewish-Arab coexistence" in Jerusalem. "It is another act of desperation."