Anyone noticed that dozens of trees have suddenly died along Zahra Street in East Jerusalem in the past few weeks? They’re invasive Ailanthus trees, or “ghetto palms” as the species has been dubbed elsewhere. The trees have been deliberately poisoned by Evyatar Cohen, head of the National Parks Authority Jerusalem District. Unfortunately, he’s poisoned all the trees just before the start of the Shmita year, in which it is forbidden for Jews to cultivate the land. As a result, there will be no replacement foliage planted in their stead and East Jerusalem has gotten a touch more barren, inhospitable, and ugly.
It would likely be considered a bit of poor planning, but when the man responsible for poisoning trees in Palestinian neighborhoods is a resident of the West Bank settlement of Ofra and a former employee of El Ad, the settler organization behind the takeover of parts of Silwan, people start asking questions.
It’s one more example of how messianic settlers have become the de facto sheriffs of the Old City and its surroundings, and why this might not be such a hot idea.
26 responses so far ↓
1 greenmamba // Aug 29, 2007 at 5:15 pm
The only thing worse than a messianic settler is a messianic journalist.
2 Rattling The Kettle // Aug 29, 2007 at 6:25 pm
That is a shame. The simple solution would be to have Arab NPA employees do the work.
3 yaacov // Aug 29, 2007 at 7:08 pm
Charles -
Do you have a source for this information? I’m not arguing with you, merely asking. But if you have a source, I’d really like to know.
Yaacov
4 Xaxam // Aug 30, 2007 at 6:23 am
Did Cohen use the blood of christian infants to prepare the poison?
5 Charles Levinson // Aug 30, 2007 at 7:57 am
yaacov — it’s no secret. Evyatar Cohen himself confirmed it for me. He said they were poisoning the trees, which are considered an invasive and unwanted species, as part of a broader works project in the area, but didn’t elaborate. Call the Parks Authority and ask. Actually, when I called, they suggested I call their “information center,” which turned out to be Eir David, or the City of David, which is El Ad. They of course had Cohen’s number at hand.
There is a troubling symbiosis between the managers of public lands in Jerusalem, especially in and around the old city, and extreme right wing settler organizations. This includes archaeology projects, tourism, and national parks land.
6 Charles Levinson // Aug 30, 2007 at 8:26 am
Xaxam — no blood of christian infants in this case. actually, with the exodus of christians from the palestinian territories and the middle east in general, the price of christian blood has really skyrocketed lately. it’s just not practical to use it for daily needs like it used to be. you know how it is… all the traditional natural remedies are being replaced by synthetics, chemicals, preservatives, etc. such a shame really.
7 tsedek // Aug 30, 2007 at 8:47 am
That’s a f* bloody shame…
Wonder how much democratically these things are decided upon? Like who decides on who’s controlling these offices?
8 ilan // Aug 30, 2007 at 11:56 am
Really?
So these trees grow nowhere else besides East Jerusalem, and there’s no good reason to poison them except to harm the residents of those neighborhoods?
I’m just finding all of this a little weird. I mean, I’m not saying that there aren’t those out there who wouldn’t like to see the residents of East Jerusalem suffer, but…this?
Can you provide a published source, or at least how to get in contact with the people in question? How did you hear about this?
9 Xaxam // Aug 30, 2007 at 12:10 pm
He said they were poisoning the trees, which are considered an invasive and unwanted species, as part of a broader works project in the area, but didn’t elaborate.
Thus it was not a paramilitary operation conceived an implemented by a gang of fanatics in the middle of the night, but rather the part of a daily routine project run by a body maintaining city parks? The body responsible to the City Hall and having a budget, statute, established chain of subordination, that can be contested and, if the need be, brought to a court?
Is a gardener trimming trees in a public garden a always a butcher spoiling the environment and depriving the inhabitants of their precious gulp of fresh air? Or only when he wears a kippa and works in an arab-speaking quarter?
10 Harry // Aug 30, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Do these diseased trees exist elsewhere in Jerusalem? If so, were they poisoned as well?
11 lisoosh // Aug 30, 2007 at 3:09 pm
OK, this is annoying me because nobody bothered to research the trees (I am involved in a project looking at uses for the wood in the US).
Ailanthus trees are a problematic invasive for a couple of reasons:
1. If cut, they produce suckers which spread far and wide and grow profusely - it is a very extreme defense mechanism.
2. The trees root system produces a toxin that kills all other trees nearby, giving the ailanthus room to spread.
The only way to kill them is by poison. The poison needs a reasonable time to act to ensure that the underlying root system is dead, otherwise they will come back tenfold. Time is also needed to ensure the toxins they produce go from the soil before replanting.
You can’t just cut them down and replace them the next day - it doesn’t work. That is one of the reasons the Forestry Service in many other countries is so concerned about them.
Also Shmita refers to agricultural cultivation, giving land a rest every 7 years, it is dubious that it would apply ornamental shade trees.
Sorry, I am really disappointed by the conspiratorial tone of this post and lack of background research. It smacks of typical ME paranoia.
12 Charles Levinson // Aug 30, 2007 at 6:08 pm
lisoosh — i never meant to suggest there weren’t legitimate reasons to want to be rid of the trees. i said they were invasive and left it at that. thank you for the details about why they’re unwaned. the point, and the reason this is being criticized by some, is that decisions here are taken with little concern or regard for their impact on residents. by the way, the shmita year absolutely does apply in this case, despite your suggestions that it doesn’t.
and the larger issue, as i see it, is why should El Ad, which represents the far right messianic fringe in Israel, be making decisions about the aesthetics and management of East Jerusalem?
13 greenmamba // Aug 30, 2007 at 6:11 pm
lisoosh: “typical ME paranoia”
It’s more fun to call it “Genocide of the Truth.”
I don’t normally talk like that but when Charles flings about the word, “messianic” he can have it right back.
14 Charles Levinson // Aug 30, 2007 at 6:16 pm
greenmamba: groups like Ateret Cohanim and El Ad believe that the physical reclamation of the old city and its surroundings will hasten the messiah. they are messianic by definition.
15 greenmamba // Aug 30, 2007 at 7:25 pm
That’s a fair explanation Charles, but I commented in response to the general tone of your post; it reeks of stinging criticism. When I first happened upon your blog, I hoped for objectivity and have been disappointed. It’s a pity because it interferes with your obvious talent and courage.
16 Shual // Aug 30, 2007 at 9:42 pm
liloosh,
thank you, but there is no sense in the “poison”-action. I can see no deadwood-security. [Annulation? I don’t know the english word… to cut a stripe from the bark = the better way]. And they poisend the trees to early. I bet that several of the trees will not “die”. They wanted to save money, but in the long run they have to open the asphalt, cause somebody 4 or 6 years ago failed to erase the small trees, because the one has no clue about landscaping. Now the plants must pay the price.
And I can not see a general sense in the action: These trees are perfect CO2-succers. You have to cultivate them, trimm them so they do not grow too large. And against the “invasion” you have to watch the small trees and eradicate them as early as possible. [Look at picture II, rigth side: OMG, what idiot let them grew that way?] And I bet, you can find enough unemployed east-jerusalem-people that help you for cheap money to solve the problem. [….. not in this century and not in Israel, I know.]
PS: My grandpa worked at a town as a landscaper in germany with them [plants], cause after the WWII they could “invade” all the destroyed places in the cities. You still can see his work growing in that town and the followers of him did a very good job in cultivating them.
17 Shual // Aug 30, 2007 at 9:47 pm
Sorry, but I am fascinated.
Picture III. No security. But if some dead wood falls onto your head, you have only 10 meters for the next Medical Center. … I love this country.
18 lally // Aug 30, 2007 at 9:49 pm
So. Here we will have large trees with dead root systems sitting around for how long? Are there plans to remove them in the near future, before they become a real hazard to the businesses and population in the vicinity? Dead trees make good torches and are certainly vulnerable to high winds.
Has Evayatar Cohen any plans to remove the trees before they become a real liability? Presumably, the reigning authority assuming responsibility wouldn’t be immune from prosecution and/or lawsuits if damages and/or casualties result from a negligent implementation of their beautification project.
19 lisoosh // Aug 30, 2007 at 10:42 pm
Charles - putting in the word “invasive” doesn’t ameliorate the effect of terms such as “deliberate poisoning” and “barran” and “people asking questions” the tone was definitely conspiratorial. In overall tone and language the piece suggested that the trees were being poisoned as an act of vengance, and a petty one at that.
I don’t know how much the super fundemental messianic types are involved in making the decisions, some members might just work for the Irya so I can’t comment on that effectively. Although as examples go - not a good one.
Shual - the problem, as I think you know, is in the extensive root system that these trees produce - they are capable of breaking down built construction such as sewars, roads and yes, several hundred year old Ottoman walls. It does look like someone made a mistake planting them years ago but that does not mean it shouldn’t be rectified. There are plenty of less damaging trees that can be planted in their stead - and while growing will produce even more CO2.
20 lisoosh // Aug 30, 2007 at 10:46 pm
Charles -you know also that Ir David is also the name of a complex inside the walls of the Old City don’t you, not far from Jaffa Gate.
21 Shual // Aug 30, 2007 at 11:03 pm
“and while growing will produce even more CO2″
Bind CO2, not produce CO2.
And “Götterbaum”-trees beat the most of the other trees/bushes.
22 FresnoZionism.org — ?????? ????? » Blog Archive » Journalist lets his bias slip // Aug 31, 2007 at 2:08 am
[…] sometimes his visceral dislike of Israel and Israelis gets completely out of control. For example, Anyone noticed that dozens of trees have suddenly died along Zahra Street in East Jerusalem in the […]
23 Shual // Aug 31, 2007 at 4:52 am
I think, the next stop of the “United Buddy Bears” should be Fresno.
24 Solomon2 // Sep 5, 2007 at 11:37 pm
lisoosh — i never meant to suggest there weren’t legitimate reasons to want to be rid of the trees. i said they were invasive and left it at that.
Charles, be honest with yourself: the point of your post is that the poisoning was done for loony or hostile religious or demeaning anti-Arab reasons, not sound environmental ones. You worked hard to deliberately create this impression. And although you thanked lishoosh for her contribution, you see nothing in your professional conduct worth apologizing for.
It is the Christiane Amanpour school of journalism. Maybe CNN has a job for you, too.
25 Eugene // Sep 11, 2007 at 12:56 pm
It is ridiculous that Shmita brings huge income to Israeli enemies in Gaza and the Palestinian territories. Whatever are the religious overtones, they cannot excuse purchases from HAMAS voters. What do you think of Obadiah Shoher interpretating Shmita as charity obligation rather than agricultural rule? (Here, for example http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm ) Anyway, I’ll better buy from atheist kibbutzim than from Gaza.
26 Shual // Sep 11, 2007 at 3:34 pm
“Obadiah Shoher: Better, however, for Israel is to settle Indian farmers in the Palestinian territories.”
“Ein Narr macht Tausend Narren” [Simplicissimus]
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