- Title: Israel marks 50 years of "united Jerusalem", but city struggles
- Date: 24th May 2017
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) JERUSALEM MAYOR NIR BARKAT, SAYING: (Asked about the gaps between Israeli and Palestinian schools) "That's not because of politics, that's because of poor management and my role as mayor, coming from the private sector, we are catching up, we just took a loan of a billion shekels (about $278 million) to build another thousand classrooms. Half of that will be in east Jerusalem and half in the ultra-Orthodox sector." CLOSE OF BARKAT (SOUNDBITE) (English) JERUSALEM MAYOR NIR BARKAT, SAYING: "And we are dealing with the challenge, and I care about my residents, and year after year we are collecting a little bit more, getting more money from the national government, increasing our pie and investing a larger share of the pie, of the budget, to dramatically increase the quality of life, infrastructure projects and content." JERUSALEM (RECENT) (REUTERS) ORTHODOX JEWISH WOMEN WITH STROLLERS CROSSING STREET STREET SCENE AT ORTHODOX NEIGHBOURHOOD CLOSE OF ORTHODOX JEW HOLDING PRAYER BOOK TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TEL AVIV SKYSCRAPERS AND BEACH ILANA BUTRIMOVITZ, A 30-YEAR-OLD COOK AND FOOD TOUR GUIDE MAKING BREAD AT FOOD STALL BREAD ON STOVE TOP (SOUNDBITE) (English) 30-YEAR-OLD ILANA BUTRIMOVITZ, A COOK AND FOOD TOUR GUIDE, SAYING: "It's a little more open, I find it a little more free, I feel like I could breathe a little bit in Tel Aviv, not to mention, you know, I love the the night-life and the beach. The beach is really something that.... I just need it in my life and I really just felt like I could connect with Tel Aviv a little bit better especially at this stage of my life, you know as a young person." JERUSALEM (RECENT) (REUTERS) OLD CITY WALLS EXTERIOR OF JERUSALEM'S HI-TECH PARK PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH BUILDING LOBBY, SIGN READING IN HEBREW "JERUSALEM TECHNOLOGY PARK" PEOPLE WALKING/BUILDING WITH GLASS WINDOWS IN HIGH TECH PARK JERUSALEM OLD CITY AND MODERN BUILDINGS SEEN FROM AFAR
- Embargoed: 7th June 2017 12:17
- Keywords: High Tech Ultra Orthodox Jews Tel Aviv Palestinians Jubilee Jerusalem Six Day War Israel
- Location: JERUSALEM/TEL AVIV, ISRAEL
- City: JERUSALEM/TEL AVIV, ISRAEL
- Country: Israel
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0066I76EYV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Israel is pouring millions into its Jerusalem jubilee celebrations this month, marking five decades since it captured the eastern part of the city in the 1967 war.
For Israelis, the anniversary represents unification of the eternal capital Jews prayed for through 2,000 years of exile. For Palestinians East Jerusalem is a symbol of their national struggle, what they hope will be the capital of a future state.
Hopes and dreams aside - in reality, Jerusalem is plagued by poverty and high unemployment, driven by its two fastest-growing populations: Palestinians and ultra-Orthodox Jews.
Each year thousands of middle-class youngsters flee Jerusalem to find their future elsewhere, while the Palestinians lament decades of neglect and discrimination they say they suffer in their parts of the city.
Meanwhile, Israel is investing hundreds of millions of shekels to turn the tide and make the city more attractive. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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