EARLIER this year residents of Jerusalem woke up to find piles of rubbish strewn across roads, markets and other public spaces. Municipal workers striking against job cuts announced by the city had not simply stopped collecting refuse; they dumped lorry-loads of it.
Jerusalem has attracted a lot of attention since President Donald Trump announced in December that America would recognise it as Israel’s capital and move its embassy there. Yet for all the fuss over the holy city’s international status, its management and finances are a mess. Its streets are often filthy (even when city workers are not striking) and its pavements are crumbling—visible indicators that it spends a quarter less per person on services for residents than Israel’s other large cities.
Over the past four years the central government has tripled its grants to Jerusalem. This year it proposes to give the city 800m shekels ($233m)—14% of its operating budget. But its mayor, Nir Barkat, wants 1bn...Continue reading
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