Reflections on Jerusalem, One Year After Trump Policy Shift
On December 6, 2017, President Trump broke with longstanding U.S. policy – dating back to before 1948 and the birth of the modern state of Israel – and recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Now, just over a year later and on the eve of 2019, we offer these reflections on what this policy […]
Australia & The Perils of Recognition in Jerusalem
On December 15, 2018, the Prime Minister of Australia announced that Australia officially recognized West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. This announcement came after months of debate and controversy. Ever since the Trump Administration’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017, and the subsequent May 2018 opening of the U.S. embassy in […]
Moving Embassies – Is Brazil Next?
On November 1, 2018, Brazil’s president-elect, Jair Bolsanaro, tweeted that he intends to fulfill his campaign promise and move Brazil’s embassy to Jerusalem. All signs point to a unprecedentedly strong relationship between Bolsanaro – an evangelical Christian – and the current Israeli government, starting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s upcoming visit to Brazil to attend Bolsanaro’s inauguration. Likewise, in […]
Bullying the World to Accept “Undivided Jerusalem” Mantra
In December 2017, days after President Trump’s announcement of US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the prestigious Jewish Museum in Berlin opened an ambitious, multi-faceted exhibit on Jerusalem. This is how the Museum describes the exhibit: “Synagogues, churches, and mosques shape our image of Jerusalem. The »Holy City« is an important center of faith for Jews, […]
A New Jerusalem Compound for Foreign Embassies?
According to Israeli media reports, Yoav Galant, Israel’s Housing and Construction Minister, is promoting the construction of a diplomatic compound for foreign embassies in Jerusalem. The compound will be located in the neighborhood of East Talpiot, close to the location of the new U.S. embassy. The move to establish the compound is clearly mostly for domestic […]
The 2018 Jerusalem Municipal Elections: Highlights & Lessons
As we noted in the run-up to the 2018 municipal elections in Jerusalem, there was unprecedented speculation regarding both possible Palestinian participation in the voting, and the likely impact of the election results on the Palestinian sector in East Jerusalem. The smoke has now cleared, and it is possible to examine what the actual election […]
The Closure of the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem
In light of the frenetic pace of events in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and throughout the region, the closure of the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem quickly disappeared from the news cycle, and after being a brief focus of attention. The implications and consequences of this move are worthy of greater attention. The […]
Paving the way for expanding Jewish enclaves in Palestinian neighborhoods
Mid-November was also marked by a series of legal decisions and legislation – briefly described below – that carry major ramifications, as they pave the way for a major expansion of the Jewish settlement enterprise and Israeli presence in the heart of Palestinian neighborhoods (each of these developments requires closer examination in order to fully […]
Mass demolitions in Shu’afat Refugee Camp
On November 21, the Jerusalem Municipality, backed by the Israeli police, proceeded with the demolition of 21 shops in the Shu’afat Refugee Camp, based on the claim that the shops were built without permits (which are impossible to obtain in any case). Owners of the shops were given just twelve hours notice before the demolitions […]
Elections in Jerusalem 2018: The Palestinian Dimension
A report by Daniel Seidemann, published October 17, 2018(a pdf of this report can be viewed/downloaded ) Israelis will go to the polls in municipal elections. In cities and towns throughout the country, every Israeli citizen over the age of 18 will have the opportunity to vote directly for a candidate for the position of mayor, […]