Transcript [00:00] All right folks, Fleer here in Jerusalem [00:02] with a man who is Jerusalem, Arya King. [00:05] He's the deputy mayor uh of Jerusalem. [00:08] Greatest job ever. Oh my god. Except for [00:10] mayor. Maybe that'll happen also one [00:11] day. No, [00:12] >> never. Never. Not me. [00:14] >> Arya King is the deputy mayor. He's also [00:16] the uh founder uh of the Israel Land [00:19] Fund, which reclaims land uh here in [00:21] Jerusalem and other parts of the land of [00:22] Israel. [00:24] Arya King, tell me where we are right [00:25] now. Why did you bring me here today? We [00:28] are standing at the neighborhood called [00:30] Shimonat Sadik. This neighborhood is [00:32] about half a kilometer [00:35] north from the old city from Damascus [00:37] gate or city of Jerusalem of course. And [00:41] uh this area is the area that we are for [00:45] about 10 to 15 years focusing in [00:48] redeeming more and more land, bringing [00:50] more more Jews to this place to run out [00:53] here, one out there. But behind of the [00:56] scenes what we worked for many years is [01:00] about major plans, major city plans that [01:04] will change all the reality of this area [01:08] that today majority of the people here [01:10] population here is Muslims or Christians [01:13] and I think in another 10 to 15 years [01:16] from today Ishai quote me the majority [01:20] will be Jews living here because we are [01:23] we submitted plans and talking about the [01:25] municipality and private people and [01:27] things are changing big time. [01:30] >> You you know before we go on I want to [01:32] hear more about the technical changes [01:33] what the municipality which you work for [01:36] uh has now uh decided. I want to ask you [01:38] a more philosophical question. Uh a few [01:41] years ago you were running uh for city [01:44] council. I even helped with your [01:46] campaign a little bit and your slogan [01:48] was I remember when you chose the slogan [01:51] it was [01:52] to judify to make more Jewish Jerusalem. [01:57] If somebody listens to to this and has [01:59] an issue with it, how do you defend that [02:02] that phrase? Is that is that an okay [02:04] phrase? I'm asking you like neutrally. [02:06] Is that an okay phrase? Is it is it [02:08] right what you're saying to make an area [02:09] more Jewish? To change uh a [02:12] neighborhood's makeup? Is that is that [02:13] is that morally correct? [02:16] The Bible is moral. [02:18] The Torah is moral and I'm Israel coming [02:22] back to earth Israel. It's the most [02:24] moral thing that can happen in our days [02:26] in our generations. [02:28] the state of Israel. [02:31] When you read the charter of the [02:33] independence of Jerus of Israel, you [02:35] will see it's written that Israel will [02:37] be a Jewish state. [02:41] Not democracy, not democ democratic [02:44] state, but a Jewish state. So of course [02:49] if we want to accept to follow the [02:52] pioneers of our state idea is that the [02:56] the capital of the Jewish state will be [02:58] a Jewish city and this is what I'm [03:01] doing. I'm happy to so much to do that [03:04] first through the Israel fund and now [03:07] through the municipality of Jerusalem [03:09] and uh again we are succeeding. I wish [03:12] it would be more successful, but we are [03:15] already seeing changes, positive ones. [03:19] >> Well, I mean, the building of Jerusalem [03:21] and the rebuilding of Jerusalem is [03:22] probably one of the most successful [03:24] enterprises that that that humanity has [03:26] ever seen. The rebirth of this city uh [03:29] the city that the prophet Isaiah says [03:31] will be called not forgotten, husbanded [03:34] by the Jewish people. So, it is it is [03:36] incredibly successful. Of course, from [03:37] the inside, we always see fault lines. [03:40] Mayor Mosha Leon um I've seen different [03:44] mayors you were under also near Barkat [03:46] uh who was an internationalist [03:49] uh brought formula one to the city uh [03:52] wanted to think about business [03:53] emotionally on a a a sphartic singer [03:57] also and other things is he doing it to [03:59] people like him is and you're his deputy [04:01] mayor is it working it's working [04:05] and the motion is changed the way that [04:08] the municipality looking at this city [04:11] like in you know in like the the M city [04:14] did a U-turn from going and thinking [04:16] about how to westernize the city how to [04:19] uh make the city city of all cultures [04:24] and some also Jewish you know Jews like [04:26] Muslim Jews like Christian no it's first [04:29] of all need to be a very clear this is a [04:32] Jewish city other nations or other [04:35] religions can live here but under one [04:39] condition accepting that this is a [04:41] Jewish city and Moshe thinks like us. [04:44] >> Mhm. [04:45] >> Exactly. And he's fulfilling that in in [04:47] the culture events that we have here in [04:50] the infrastructure where to invest the [04:53] money [04:54] and how to build, how much to build and [04:58] also to bring here the right [05:00] international bodies and the [05:02] organizations and helping the government [05:05] to bring to Jerusalem the embassies of [05:08] other states that will be in Jerusalem. [05:11] So we see a great change at the last [05:14] five, six, seven years. And as I said, [05:17] I'm expecting that in 10 to 15 years, [05:20] Jerusalem will be not the same like we [05:23] see today. Uh Jews will live in many [05:26] many areas where you don't see today [05:28] enough or at all Jews and also you will [05:31] feel much more as a Jewish city. Um I I [05:36] worked for some time for minister Benvir [05:39] and I remember that during the elections [05:41] uh we were sitting in the car and I said [05:43] to him you know why don't you why are [05:46] you so stuck on being minister of [05:47] national security maybe you want to be [05:49] minister of tourism or other things and [05:51] he said to me no this is what I want and [05:54] he was completely focused and fixated on [05:56] this thing and he had a vision for it [05:58] same thing with you I you know I said to [05:59] you maybe Knesset maybe this you're like [06:01] no I I want to help build Jerusalem What [06:04] what what is what what's so central [06:06] about this city? What's so central about [06:08] changing its makeup and making it more [06:10] Jewish and a Jewish capital? Why is that [06:12] such a big deal? Ishai, people from [06:14] overseas, Jews from the dias are coming [06:17] to Israel. [06:20] Many of them are coming to Israel in one [06:22] condition that they can visit the same [06:23] visit. Jerusalem, the Western War, maybe [06:27] the Temple Mount, maybe their parents [06:29] that are buried in Mount of Olive or in [06:31] the Giva Cemetery. I I don't know many [06:35] Jews that are coming once in a few years [06:38] to Israel and not visiting Jerusalem. [06:40] >> Right? [06:40] >> So I see it as a mission, [06:42] >> a mission that in any time any date in [06:47] every year Jew will feel secure and [06:50] comfortable to come and visit Jerusalem. [06:53] And when I'm saying Jerusalem, I'm [06:54] talking about every area in Jerusalem, [06:56] not just central of town or just the [06:59] cottel. I'm talking about every area in [07:01] Jerusalem. So this is one mission. [07:03] Second mission that I see that I took it [07:06] on myself. It's about taking care of the [07:08] security of the people living here in [07:10] Jerusalem. Look, I was born in a kibu. [07:12] It's called Alumin. It's right next to [07:14] the border between Ber and [07:17] >> at October 7 at Simatura, [07:20] my parents, my sister were were locked [07:24] for hours in their house while [07:27] terrorists came. Two and a half [07:29] kilometers from Gaza into the kibuts, [07:32] murdered there. More than 20 people, [07:34] three soldiers were killed there. When I [07:37] came to Jerusalem, I talk about 28 years [07:39] ago. I know I notice that people in the [07:43] politics are talking about the future of [07:46] East Jerusalem like the future of Judea [07:49] of Gaza Strip. Now in in in the Kibot in [07:53] the south in Alum in Ber in the [07:55] >> what do you mean by that? What did you [07:56] mean by that? the the distance from an [07:59] Arab population in Gaza or Rafi or [08:02] Hanunas in Gaza Strip to the kibbutim at [08:06] the out at the at the borders of Gaza [08:08] it's 2 km 4 km and we saw what happened [08:11] just 2 years ago in is in Jerusalem the [08:15] distance between the same Arabs they [08:18] have the same ideology they have the [08:19] same Quran they have the same bin they [08:23] have they're getting they're going to [08:25] the school of the same anti- [08:28] Nazi organization of UNRA. It's the same [08:30] in Jerusalem and Gaza. And they said the [08:34] same Arabs can come here not 2 [08:36] kilometers. I talk about 20 m from a [08:39] Jewish Jewish neighborhood to Arab [08:41] neighborhood. If it's in Ramona Nativ to [08:44] Jab Mukabar, if it's in a to beta and 20 [08:48] m they don't need a a missile or a [08:51] tunnel. they just come decide and do [08:54] much worse massacre than what we faced [08:57] in the south in Jerusalem. So this is I [09:00] I saw it already 28 years ago and this [09:02] is why I decided I'm committed first to [09:06] to secure Jerusalem to the people living [09:08] and visiting here and second to make it [09:11] much more uh I would say h welcoming to [09:16] Jews to come and live here making the [09:18] apartment more available cheaper and [09:21] make the infrastructure of East [09:23] Jerusalem much more western and like [09:27] West Jerusalem and by that I'm sure this [09:31] is my part of bringing gula and looking [09:34] for better mikdash to be built in our [09:36] days. Arya, you you've spoken harshly [09:39] against jihadism. Uh you've compared [09:42] what's happening in Jerusalem to Gaza. [09:46] You have talked about distancing Arab [09:49] communities from Jewish communities. You [09:51] have said that that you publicly ran on [09:54] a platform called Judaizing Jerusalem. [09:56] Sounds like ultra nationalism. What's so [09:58] funny about about the reality of you as [10:01] a as a as a deputy mayor here is that [10:04] when I come to your office, I oftenimes [10:06] see Arabs coming to you, speaking to [10:09] you, feeling that you understand them. [10:12] They they seem to have more what we call [10:15] in the Middle East respect for the way [10:17] that you speak with them and talk with [10:18] them and you talk with them very frankly [10:21] but also in a very friendly way and they [10:22] feel that you are actually a defender of [10:24] theirs. How how does that work exactly? [10:26] Am I right about that or did I did I [10:28] blow it up too much? Is it true? [10:29] >> You what you saw it's a the reality. [10:33] Arabs know there's one person in the [10:35] municipality of Jerusalem that wants to [10:38] develop is Jerusalem. [10:40] They know what is my goal. Many of them [10:44] wants me to succeed. Why? Because their [10:47] life will be better. Their street will [10:49] be much more clean. Security for their [10:52] children will be much more [10:55] high. and I standard then if I will not [10:58] be here and taking care of the security [11:00] in their neighborhood even if there is [11:02] no one Jew living in this neighborhood [11:04] so they have their interest very small [11:06] interest and I don't have a problem that [11:09] when I am [11:11] promoting the Jewish interest [11:15] so the non-Jews that living between of [11:17] us and they will continue living here [11:19] will join from our interest also [11:22] >> they'll benefit [11:23] >> they will benefit I don't have a problem [11:25] with [11:25] By the way, I I really believe that if [11:29] Israel would stay [11:32] at Gaza Strip, [11:33] >> right, [11:33] >> at 2005, [11:35] nothing like what happened would happen [11:37] because we were there. By the way, Arabs [11:39] lived, Arabs in Gaza lived in much high [11:42] standard life, standard of living when [11:44] we were in Gushkatif and north of Gaza [11:47] Strip than what otherwise they live [11:49] today. So there's no question about [11:50] that. [11:51] >> Let me say let me say it a different [11:52] way. Let me say it a different way. [11:54] We left Gaza for the sake of peace. We [11:57] gave away our land for the sake of [11:59] peace. And in the end, we had to kill [12:01] 100,000 Gazins. These people would have [12:03] been spared and we had control. Yes. 20 [12:06] terrorists would have been killed. 100 [12:07] terrorists would have been killed [12:08] throughout our control. [12:09] >> Exactly. And I will give you I would [12:11] strengthen your your your your your [12:13] comment now in what why Jerusalem is so [12:16] quiet since the war started more than [12:18] two years ago. How come Jerusalem is so [12:20] quiet? This last Ramadan was the [12:22] quietest Ramadan record. [12:23] >> The last two ones [12:25] >> during the war, the the quiet quietest [12:27] one. But why so quiet during all the [12:30] year? Because at the first week of the [12:33] war, [12:35] the police here [12:38] killed [12:40] six Arabs that tried to commit to [12:43] attack. They didn't injure them. They [12:46] didn't arrested them. They killed them. [12:49] I am telling you this six that were [12:51] killed saved about 700 Arabs that were [12:55] killed if God forbid the Arab in [12:58] Jerusalem were joining their friends [13:00] their brother and sister in Gaza. So we [13:03] saved the police saved hundreds of life [13:05] of Arabs by dealing with this six first [13:09] terrorist at the beginning of the war. [13:11] >> This is a kind of Middle East math. [13:13] Okay. Some sometimes you this is how you [13:17] behave when you deal with Muslim [13:20] culture. This is how how they behave [13:22] between themselves and this is how they [13:24] behave between Muslims and others [13:26] Christians or Jews. Unfortunately, [13:28] >> yeah, [13:29] >> they choose this life. [13:30] >> Yeah. [13:30] >> Why of life? By the way, notice what's [13:32] happening with Golani. Golani uh you [13:35] know Golani is a mass murderer. It [13:36] drives me crazy that he's in any way [13:38] respected. He was killing Drews. He was [13:40] killing Alawites. Now he's killing [13:42] Kurds, you know, and the only [13:45] >> United States is getting red carpet. [13:48] >> Red carpet. Okay. Uh so we've talked [13:51] philosophy, we've talked Middle East, [13:52] we've talked about your style of [13:54] governance here in the city. Now let's [13:56] talk takas uh bottom line brass tax. [13:59] Tell me what's going on. We are right [14:00] now in uh East Jerusalem, eastern [14:03] Jerusalem, right? So the Mount of Olives [14:05] is uh to our east. Um this is what's [14:09] called the Tephair, right? It's between [14:11] western Jerusalem and eastern Jerusalem. [14:13] Uh we see there the neighborhood of Malo [14:16] Daphna. Uh and over here we're in a [14:18] neighborhood called Shimonat Sadik. [14:20] >> Yeah. [14:20] >> Okay. I see Mount Scopus, the university [14:23] uh also to my east here. And I see of [14:26] course the central border police center [14:28] of the country right over here. [14:30] >> Yeah. Where the flag is. [14:31] >> Okay. And there's also a very holy spot [14:32] here which is the tomb of Shimonati who [14:35] was a very famous high priest 2,000 [14:38] years ago about a little bit of time [14:40] before Kaneka. Uh some people say that [14:42] he was the grandfather of uh of Yohanan. [14:45] Right. Anyway, bottom line is it's a [14:47] wholly special place. Tell me what the [14:48] plans are for the future. What we think [14:50] here we are standing in the middle of [14:53] three ancient Jewish neighborhoods. One [14:57] called was called Nakalatak. [15:00] You see there are three hotels there. We [15:01] have tree hotel, Grand Hotel and behind [15:05] them is the third one Lonardo Hotel [15:08] where these three hotels are built. [15:10] Until 1948 there was a Jewish [15:12] neighborhood called Nalati truck. Then [15:15] we have this neighborhood right here [15:16] where this tall tree is. All of this you [15:20] see this shops until the building that [15:22] we see at the distance. This is already [15:24] a Jewish neighborhood. There are new [15:25] buildings that we see there at the [15:26] distance. And between where we are [15:28] standing to the new building, this is [15:30] this was a neighborhood called Nalat [15:32] Shimon. Nakalachimon another Jewish [15:35] neighborhood. Then we add the third the [15:37] third neighborhood. We will see it now [15:40] here. [15:43] Okay. So here we add the third Jewish [15:45] neighborhood called Shimonatik. [15:48] So three Jewish neighborhood. Jews lived [15:50] here for many years. Some of them more [15:54] than 100 years. Why they came to live [15:57] here? Because at the center of the land [15:59] of Shimonat Sadik, there is a grave cave [16:02] of the high priest Shimonat Sadik. And [16:05] people wanted to be living around this [16:07] holy place. So at the last five years, [16:12] five, six years, a very positive and [16:18] strategic change is happening in the [16:21] planning aspect. And I will explain [16:23] where Shimon Sadik is. But right behind [16:25] of us, there's a plan for more than 300 [16:29] apartments. [16:31] It's still in the early stages, but it's [16:34] already on the planner table. Behind of [16:38] Shimonatic at the far distance, we [16:41] cannot see it. Behind of the trees, [16:43] there's already one neighborhood was is [16:46] already built part of it. It's called [16:48] the Sheffield. the Shepherd neighborhood [16:51] that was purchased by the family Moscow [16:53] family from Miami and this is already in [16:56] process in progress. You can go there [16:58] and see building already in the fourth [17:00] floor and this is about another 100 [17:03] Jewish n apartments that are already in [17:06] building process. Then we have here [17:12] we have here in this area from this tall [17:15] tree to the corner of this neighborhood [17:18] here. Okay. All of this area in terms of [17:21] building that you see at the distance [17:24] 320 [17:25] 330 [17:27] new apartment will be built here with [17:30] synagogues with mikvah with next behind [17:34] the tree a yeshiva a compass of a [17:36] yeshiva that was approved also two days [17:39] two weeks ago for yeshiva. So in my [17:42] imagination, [17:44] in my vision, I would say [17:47] in another 15 years, we will have in all [17:51] of this area more projects that I didn't [17:54] mention that I cannot disclose and talk [17:56] about talk about them now, but in [17:58] another 15 years, we will have here [18:01] about roughly 10,000 [18:04] Jews living here. And this is a really [18:08] change because today there's no more [18:11] more than 1,000 Jews living in this [18:13] area. [18:14] >> Well, Ari, that's a big vision. And I [18:15] and I want to disclose to you that I [18:17] myself have been very interested in [18:19] trying to come back uh and living here. [18:21] The Shepherd Hotel, I'm like, when are [18:23] you guys finishing this project already? [18:24] Uh because it's a beautiful project. Um [18:28] and we also have another thing which we [18:30] didn't talk about which is the proximity [18:32] to the old city. You could walk here to [18:34] the old city of Jerusalem. Everybody [18:35] wants to come pray in the old city. You [18:37] also have a train line here, right? [18:38] >> Yeah. The back train. [18:39] >> Listen, the train of the the city's [18:42] train system is like tearing up the [18:44] whole system. Right now, Jerusalem is [18:45] like a parking lot. You can't There's [18:47] traffic everywhere. The place is like [18:50] and now tourism is down right now. We [18:52] take advantage of that, [18:53] >> right? because of there's not so many [18:55] unfortunately there's not so many [18:57] tourists and we are expecting that at [18:59] 2027 [19:01] there is there will be a a start your [19:04] tourist will start returning we see it [19:06] already we hear it from the tourist [19:10] um tourist offices and from the hotels [19:13] reservation are coming back coming back [19:16] so we need to prepare for that and we [19:18] need to uh do our best that until then [19:22] till 2027 7 uh whatever we can finish we [19:26] finish. And this is why you see so much [19:29] work on the roads in order to complete [19:32] the at least another line maybe even two [19:34] until 2027. [19:37] And again when it will finished I'm [19:39] talking about around the year 2030. [19:43] Jerusalem will be a city that will be uh [19:47] covered with a train net [19:50] light train the ei train from Tel a Viv [19:53] that will have another station in [19:55] central of town and another station next [19:57] to uh in the south part of Jerusalem. [19:59] Wow. You could come is you could come [20:01] from Tel Aviv. If you'll be able to come [20:03] to go on the train from Tel Aviv and I [20:05] is [20:06] >> in 45 minutes you will be at zakot. [20:09] >> Wow. [20:10] >> 45 minutes today. Today in Jerusalem [20:13] from a frat it will take you 1 hour and [20:16] 20 minutes. Okay. Sometimes [20:17] >> train no traffic jams. [20:19] >> Right. [20:19] >> You go on the train in Tel Aiv 45 [20:22] minutes. [20:22] >> You get to Jerusalem then you connect to [20:24] a light. You connect to the light train [20:27] station in Jaffa street and from there [20:29] there would be a train or you can take a [20:31] a cab or you couldn't walk right just [20:33] say walk use your legs 40 we check it 45 [20:38] minutes walking distance and the train [20:40] if you come from Tel Aviv [20:42] >> so so on the one hand you're the [20:44] municipality and yourself king deputy [20:46] mayor of Jerusalem you're trying to make [20:47] it a more Jewish city but at the same [20:49] time also more welcoming city for [20:51] tourism that's part of it I mean I [20:54] Jerusalem. [20:55] >> Jerusalem was and will be all the time [20:59] the number one attraction to every [21:01] religious person in the world. Religious [21:03] person. So we need to have it accessible [21:06] >> for them to come where whatever they [21:08] want to do here. They are welcome. But [21:10] again [21:11] >> we are not here to compromise about our [21:15] identity and the identity of this city. [21:18] >> I think it makes perfect sense when you [21:19] have a strong identity people are [21:20] attracted to it. Um and at the same time [21:23] Jerusalem is a city that will be [21:25] welcoming people. I call it spiritual [21:27] capital of the world. [21:29] >> Okay. [21:29] >> It's okay. It's again spiritual until [21:33] that stage that nobody by e spiritual [21:35] think that I don't have the right to [21:37] exist here. [21:38] >> No. Of course. For some this spiritual [21:41] way of thinking. [21:42] >> No no no no no. The control the [21:44] sovereignty is ours. This is our capital [21:46] city. Uh the the heartland of the [21:48] heartland. The heartland of the holy [21:50] land. Uh but I'm saying but it also has [21:52] a call a light to the world. [21:56] The Torah of the of the light of [21:57] Jerusalem spreads out to the world and [21:59] it's of course through that strength. [22:03] My house will be a house for all [22:05] nations. That's right. A house of prayer [22:06] for all nations. [22:07] >> All right. King Deputy uh mayor of [22:09] Jerusalem. Uh you are really making [22:12] Jerusalem stronger, bigger, safer uh and [22:15] also easier for tourists to come to [22:17] connect. uh you're also taking care of [22:19] the non-Jewish residents of the city [22:21] that want to live with us in peace and [22:22] want to benefit. I must say tell you [22:25] thank you thank you for for first of all [22:26] for again giving uh me the opportunity [22:28] to talk to the people to make pass the [22:31] the the right message of Jerusalem. [22:35] Okay, the right without compromising [22:37] about you know politically correct [22:39] >> very straight. Okay. And I can tell you [22:41] and I'm saying it to you and also to the [22:43] people that viewing this interview, [22:46] we couldn't we couldn't make it without [22:49] the support of people from overseas. [22:52] People that I I know people that saw [22:54] previous inter [22:56] interviews of me with you that saw it, [23:00] they were so they came here, they said, [23:02] "We want to see it in our own eyes. We [23:04] want to see what you talked about with [23:05] Isha. We want to go and see the mizuza [23:07] where there was a mizuza before 48 the [23:10] house. We want to seem where we want [23:12] also to touch the the the the you call [23:15] it the holy dust of Jerusalem when you [23:18] build you have dust. I call it a holy [23:20] dust. So people people saw that heard [23:22] that and came because they wanted really [23:24] to not just to see it but to smell to [23:27] feel what you describe. So thank you for [23:30] having me the opportunity giving me the [23:32] opportunity. [23:33] >> Thank you. Uh we we have a mission as [23:35] you said we have a mission we're mission [23:37] driven uh and the big mission is [23:42] blessed be God king of the universe who [23:44] returns his presence to Zion that [23:46] presence comes through a physical [23:47] rebuilding through the strength of [23:49] Israel that's actually what brings the [23:50] presence of God to Jerusalem. All right [23:52] folks Ari King thank you so much for [23:54] being with us and let's not forget to [23:56] support build check out the Israel Land [23:58] Fund. Check out the municipality of [24:00] Jerusalem. If you want to help my show, [24:02] it's uh fightforisrael.org with the [24:04] number four in the middle. [24:04] Fightforisrael.org and buy me a [24:06] coffeeish. [24:08] God bless you folks from Jerusalem. Keep [24:11] up the good strength from the land of [24:12] blessings and shalom. Tell him.
