Israel court rejects petitions against Jerusalem cable car

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s Supreme Court has rejected four petitions that sought to derail controversial plans to build a cable car to Jerusalem’s Old City, paving the way for the project to progress. The court on Sunday struck down objections filed by Palestinian residents of east Jerusalem, environmentalists, urban planners, archaeologists and a small community from the Jewish Karaite sect who said the project would harm the holy city’s historic character, desecrate a Karaite cemetery, and impact the lives and businesses of local residents. The proposed cable car is being advanced by Israel’s Tourism Ministry and the Jerusalem municipality as a transportation solution to the city’s traffic-snarled streets and poor accessibility to the ancient walled Old City.