The United States is “concerned” by plans announced by the Jerusalem (Al-Quds) municipality to demolish Arab homes to make way for a new archaeological park, the State Department said Monday. “This is expressly the kind of step that we think undermines trust that is fundamental in making progress to the proximity talks and ultimately in direct negotiations,” said spokesman P.J. Crowley, referring to U.S. efforts to bring Palestinians and Israelis together at talks. “We're concerned about it. We've had a number of conversations with the government of Israel about it,” Crowley told reporters. The city's planning and building committee approved the Gan Hamelech (King's Garden) project, a municipal spokesman said, using the Hebrew name for the area outside Jerusalem's Old City known as Al-Bustan to its mostly Arab residents. The plans call for the demolition of 22 Arab homes.
