Jerusalem and the continued Israeli designs on the holy city topped the agenda of the Arab Summit in Libya, underlining the seriousness of the situation and the profound concern Arab leaders have for the city.

The occupation forces’ acts of aggression against East Jerusalem go on unabated. The aim is to force Palestinians out, gobble up more of their properties and change the ethnic character of the city.

East Jerusalem has been in great part neglected economically by the Arab and Muslim worlds for decades, left to the settlement designs of Israeli governments.

True, Arab reconstruction of Jerusalem is subject to strict, politically oriented, Israeli licensing measures, but there have been opportunities for Arab and Muslim investments to breathe life into the city.

Arab Jerusalem is left to degenerate into a dying suburb. Had money been infused in sustainable projects, much could have been saved, developed and prospered.

Even under strict prohibitive Israeli control over construction in East Jerusalem, there were ample opportunities to build up this part of the city and even purchase adjacent lands. As is, East Jerusalem was left to bleed at the mercy of Israel, with no meaningful effort to come to its rescue, at least economically.

Now that the participants in the summit pledged $500 million to save it and its beleaguered Palestinian population from further Israeli onslaught, a comprehensive plan for the reconstruction of the city needs to be drawn.

Unless a well articulated strategy for Arab and Muslim investment is put in place, the promised money will not attain its ultimate objective of making Arab Jerusalem a vibrant modern city.

Rebuilding East Jerusalem will lend support to the dwindling Palestinian population there, often forced to leave the city for economic reasons.

Occupied Jerusalem is in bad need of an effective Arab and Muslim economic intervention. The financial pledge to help improve the living conditions of Palestinians living there is a very welcome development.