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10/1/1995 - Jerusalem: Course and Destiny by Hisham H. Ahmed

Jerusalem Course Destiny JERUSALEM Israel October ByHisham H Ahmed In overall context Palestinian Israeli relations question ofJerusalem stands asone themostcomplicated The followingis translation ofanOp Edpiece published Arabic language localnewspaper A Quds onOctober28 Contention Jerusalem remains aflame within overall Palestin Israeli struggle Discussion Jerusalem stage Israeli Palestinian interaction without doubt raise anynumber queries ideas asboth parties considerJerusalem integral oftheir legal political economic religiousandsocial entity Jerusalem represents parties opinion heart whose dismemberment marring shall threatening In reality despite similarity Israeli Palestinianviews toward Jerusalem there substantial differencesbetweenthem concerningtheir constituents means methodsandobjectives Theconsiderab Palestin presence East Jerusalem whether demographic national institutional would nothavebeendislodgedoverthepastthreedecadeshad itnotbeenfortheconsecration Israeli convictions thatJerusalem onlyand eternal capital Israel The Palestin people their legitimate representative PLO concentrated their forts years using various methods number international Arab consolidate EastJerusalem eSsentiallyArab andanintegril thePalestinianlandoccupiedin1967 ItwasnotbymerecoincidencethattheUNrepeat declared position congruent Palestinians throughnumerous resolu tions In addition Arab statesandthe IslamicConferencehave rendereditunequivo eastern deeply rooted historyand culture ofhumanity Palestinianandshouldremain Even United States despite strategic numerous homogeneous terests shares Israel shown indication after another conviction EastJerusalemshouldnecessarilybethecenterofthePalestinians politicalandnational presence At least almost every American presidential candi promise during electoral campaign would American EmbassyfromTel AvivtoJerusalem oncehewaselected president However promisessoonlostmomentumas obstacles facingsuch stepwere great forthe president overcome Palestinian objection implementation promisewas issue could notbe underestimated Moving American Embassy Jerusalem clashed least notcomply officialUSstandtowardthe Palestinian question generaland Jerusalem particular In addition ArabandIslamic objectionsweretaken considerationandthosenom inated theUS presidency realized difficulty impossibility carrying their promise However principally concerned attracting rgest number ofJewish votes US This dilemma resultingfrom making promises having obstacles coming their implementation became acute instead disappearing This phenomenon occurred repeatedly during presidential elections since Presidential competition obviously focused Palestinian Israeli issue thecandidatewhocould presentthemoreattractive promises likely Jewish votes thushavebetterchances forvictory JerusalemNow Theposition thatJerusalem occupies themomentin Palestinian Israeli relations changed On discussions Jerusalem destiny postponed until final stages negotiation How postponing central issue until final stages diminish importance Pales tinian point The dominant feeling sensitivity question Jerusalem should encour dealing detailed diagnostic manner This Palestinian attitude constituted obstacle Israeli intentions either economi cally religiously demographically politically Israel inequality between Palestinians feels party manipulate affairs efficiently itsownadvantage This evidently Jerusa realities concern Greater Jerusalem Israeli perspective increasing daily result increased confiscation The Palestinians reside Jerusalem still losing property result The relevant issue however percentage owned Palestinians Jerusalem started contract owned Israelis course creased In addition should results results ofthe Israeli census inJerusalem suburbs It certainly demographic effects Israel legal position those carrying Jerusalem ID andlivingoutside cityremains undefined This change demographically economically favor Israelis doubt political chological repercussions cannot overlooked Lack result confiscation reduced possibilities construction forhousing industrial purposes Palestinian The scarcity houses Jerusalem known inevitably incredible raising rents whichmanyPalestinians notmeet Therefore become almost impossible either reside invest Jerusalem As result Palestinians price being requirements ofresidence workorinvestment Je rusalem This coercive necessarily optional attempt search alternative place residence The struggle survival therefore imprint demographic shape Jerusalem All above comes addition numerous steps Israelis taken severity situation tensify When there Palestinians build iftheyareabletoacquireabuildinglicensefromthe Israeli Municipality considered privilege because itoccursso rarely Theexpensesincurredwhenobtain ingalicense ifitisapproved renderitsimplemen HHA tation difficultto achieve Many houses demolished cense This aggravated complicated situa tionevenfurther The familieswholiveinhouseswith building license state continuous instability therefore continuous insecurity period This feeling insecurity least psychologically inevitable results those without licenses Negligence upkeep cleanliness deterioration number patterns social havior arenot coincidental orwithout cause Theyare aninescapable resultofintrinsicandexternal insecurity What complicated issue further Palestinians factthatthe Israelishave setupcheck postsbetween parts single urbanbodyandhave strangled communication between Jerusalem occupied Palestinian lands The Israelis claim placing barriersbetween WestBankandJerusa lemcame result Israeli security concerns Accord pretense checkpoints prevent undesirable elementsfrom enteringJerusalemand Israel proper Actually security excuse placing check pointsbetweenJerusalem theWestBankis least important The objective political general socio economicandpsychologicalinparticular Itiswell known Israeli decision makers Palestin Jan determined threaten Israeli security probably safer route difficult Checkpoints could decrease Palestinians speed reaching their targets Israel cannot Onthe contrary existence check points causes harpen their skills planning executing their operations It coincidence therewasanincreaseinmilitaryoperationsin Israelby certain Palestinians after checkpoints placed tween Jerusalem occupied areas It thewhole Palestinian situation riorated politically economically It attempt isolate Palestinians Jerusa produced reaction insistence achieving their objectives The security dimension neither convincesthe Israelisnorthe Palestinians So ispurposeofthecheckpoints A largenum Palestinians reach Jerusalem through checkpoints Reaching Jerusalem infamous Wadi alnar route despite legal ramifica tions kn0wn Israeli military authorities This leads presume other security aimsinmind Thosewhotravelby routejeopardize their source livelihood arrested since cannot escape either detention They under continuous legal threat goingto orreturningfromwork Theseadventurerswhoseektoearntheir dailybread topay psychological Travelbythisroute nerve racking pressure physique The severe turns curves rough route probable danger travelers leave their distinct imprint produces lined faces sighs certain attitudes distinguish thosewho obliged route regularly In addition Jerusalem these people eventually represent something merely abstract which instigates feeling ofterrorandinsecurity Therefore connection between conscience Palestinian going Jerusa lemincognitoandthemeaningsofthe entities ofthis enrooted within conscience negatively affected especially ifonemeasuresanindividual sbehaviorover periodoftime PlacingcheckpointsbetweenJerusalemand occupied Palestinian territories among other things bringing about psychological schism tween various sectors Palestinian Society between people sider thepulsatingheartofthe nationonthe other In addition creating state psychological trauma physical fatigue traveling Jerusalemby route otherthan usual makes dailybreadwinning travelers extremely difficult At inability ofWestBankersandGazansto reachJerusa directlythreatens seconomy Theinterchange ofcommercial relationsbetweenJeru salem other areas decreased tween these outside areas themselves It especially ficult about buying selling Jerusalem This disturbance exchange relations rendersJerusalemites ability interact economicallywith theWestBankmore difficult previously though travel moreeasilythan others Palestiniansa permits toJerusalem Asfor those Palestinianswhocan permits travel fromJerusalem subject limited They checkpoints least twice Israeli soldiers there morning evening This imbues their psyche effects incom mensurate friction between those attributes ofpower Their fluctuatesbetweenthe ability Jerusalem legally their ability permits Israeli authorities This oscillation between doubt certitude along feeling total humiliation enshrouds those attempt obtain permit Israelis direct effect nature economic social psychological connectionwithJerusalem Jerusalem diffictilt therefore undesirable reach resultofthphysicalandpsychologicalcom plications getting there Jerusalem focal point targeted isolation opolization Jeru salem meeting point Islam Christianity plight difficult light situation described above Thosewhoin pastwenttoJerusalem places spiritual religious purposes today Iftheyareabletoreachtheseholyplaces itisde spite extreme difficulty obtaining permit threat overshadows being place worship illegally So point focal point hasbeenseveredfromallother parts ThePoliticalFactor All these social economic psychological relig difficulties pertain Jerusalem emerge political situation The repeated attempts Ehud Olmert Mayor Jerusalem close teries Palestinian insti tutions addition manipulation ofthe festivities arranged occasion Jerusalem 3000th versary serve Israeli political monopolize isolate define order strain destinybefore negotiations concerning ation start His repeated statements which stress should remain unified eternal capital Israel leave doubt defin certain course forthe atdeterminingits Olmert repeated expressions steps emerge certain motives theyhave great effecton design results The U S Senate backing Bob Dole initiative American Embassy Tel Aviv Jerusa thistimecannotbe underestimated For American president exercise cerning resolution closed circle fromthe politicalpointofviewaroundJerusalem Issu ingsuch resolution timewhen theUNwas bratingits50th anniversary withoutanycommentfrom Arab Islamic world exceptwhatwas declaredby president Arafat increases barriers around Jerusalem Olmert statements corroboratedbymore Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin several occasions The recent NewYork while attending United Nations niversary celebration Such expressions declarations resolutions considered injurious blows peace process One could misinterpret American Senate resolution undeclared acceptance ofthe division ofJerusalem between Palestinians Israelis However resolution leaves doubt course cityandits destiny areextremelyimportant Holding demographic institutional inJerusalem isnowthe leadingpriority Pal estinians order effect course destiny This inevitably colossal stacles unless isaccompaniedbyaseriousconsidera factors pertaining Jerusalem socially chologically religiously economically politically byPalestinians locally regionallyandinternationally GI Institute Current World Affairs Author Institute Current World Affairs Title ICWA Letters Mideast North Africa ISSN Imprint Hanover NH Material Type Serial Language English Frequency Monthly Other Regions Europe Russia East Asia South Asia SubSaharan Africa The Americas Chosen basis character previous perience promise Institute Fellows young professionals funded spend years carrying designed programs study writing outside United States The Fellows required their findings experiences field month They write subject formally informally The result unique report analysis periodical assessment ternational events issues The Institute CurrentWorld Affairs 4WESTWHEELOCKSTREET HANOVER NEW HAMPSHIRE 03755 ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED Nonprofit Org U S Postage PAID Lebanon NH 03766 Permit