A new bill proposes to transfer jurisdiction over Arab villages annexed by Israel following the 1967 Six-Day War to the Palestinian Authority. The legislative proposal, dubbed the "bill for the salvation of Jerusalem as a Jewish and democratic capital" and sponsored by Zionist Union MK Yoel Hasson, aims to make the Palestinian Authority responsible for the civil administration of east Jerusalem villages such as Shuafat, Issawiya, Jabel Mukaber, Beit Hanina and Sur Baher. According to the abstract of the bill, the Palestinian population in Jerusalem has consistently increased, and while Palestinians comprised 26% of the city's population in 1967, they now constitute nearly 40% of all Jerusalem residents. Hasson argues that Israel's annexation of these villages has led to security complications stemming from the difficulty of creating a barrier between hostile populations in a densely populated area. A significant number of terrorist attacks in the past two years have been perpetrated by terrorists from these villages. Under the proposed legislation, the government would be required to provide operational parameters for ensuring that Jerusalem remains a Jewish and democratic city. The government would then have to present the framework to the Knesset for approval. According to Hasson, the bill will make sure that Israel retains full security control over the area, while relieving it of its administrative responsibilities for the 300,000 residents of those villages. Residents of these villages would lose their permanent resident status and would no longer have the right to vote in Jerusalem's municipal elections. The plan would also allow the state to redefine the city's municipal borders to ensure a solid Jewish majority in and full Israeli sovereignty over the city.
