The wrong way to divide Jerusalem
June 9 saw the publication of a new piece of major analysis by Daniel Seidemann: “Dividing Jerusalem, Solidifying Occupation.” The key elements of this analysis are summarized below. The realization that the status quo is unsustainable finds expression in a slew of recent proposals calling for dividing the city, most notably one from Israeli opposition […]
A new settlement enclave in Silwan – Batan al Hawa
On June 15, the Jerusalem Local Planning Committee approved a building permit for the construction by Israeli settlers of a 4-story building located in the section of Silwan known as Batan al-Hawa (map). The decision of the Committee to now approve the building permit was made without giving an opportunity to Palestinian residents to voice […]
Proposed Annexation of Maale Adumim
On June 1, 2016, the Jerusalem Post published an article entitled, “Annexing Ma’aleh Adumim would end any peace process.” As an issue in the current political debate, the background to this story dates back to March 2016, when Avigdor Lieberman’s party Yisrael Beytenu proposed a bill allowing extension of Israeli planning and construction law to the West […]
Keeping a Close Eye on the Temple Mount/Haram al Sharif
Following a protracted period of violence/tensions surrounding the Temple Mount/Haram al Sharif, the site has been relatively out of the spotlight since the Israeli-Jordanian understanding of October 2015. This reflects a combination of Israeli restraint and determined, responsible policing (including arrest of demonstrators). A concrete and notable result was the unexpected quiet in and around the site during […]
East Jerusalem: Emerging Patterns
Building legally (i.e., with the required building permits issued by Israeli authorities) is virtually non-existent as an option for Palestinians living in East Jerusalem. The numbers tell the story: In 1967, there were 69,000 Palestinian residents in East Jerusalem, living in 12,600 housing units. In 2016, there are more than 320,000 Palestinian inhabitants in East […]
Church Attacked (again) in Jerusalem
While tensions in Jerusalem continue to remain on a low simmer (rather than a rolling boil), this week saw another attack on a Jerusalem church, this time the Dormition Abbey, located just outside the Old City’s Zion Gate. On January 17th, Hebrew-language anti-Christian hate graffiti was scrawled across walls inside the abbey. On 1/20, two Israeli teens were arrested for […]
Herzog Proposes De-Annexing Parts of East Jerusalem
Israeli opposition leader Isaac Herzog (Zionist Union) said this week that conditions were not right for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and offered his new plan for steps Israel should take now to manage the situation. These steps include cutting off Israel and Jerusalem from a number of Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem. In his words, “Then we’ll re-unite […]
The Tightening Occupation in East Jerusalem
Israel forced Palestinians in East Jerusalem to cancel a January 17 cultural event at the Palestinian National Theater. Israeli Public Security Minister Erdan accused the Palestinian Authority of being linked to the event and thus shut it down (on the ground that the Oslo Agreement prevents the PA from participating in such events in Jerusalem without Israeli […]
Jerusalem Tensions Remain High
Temple Mount/Haram al Sharif: Since Secretary Kerry’s visit to Jerusalem on November 24, there has been some reduction in tensions, particularly with respect to the Temple Mount/Haram al Sharif. However, there are players on both sides who are clearly interested in challenging efforts to restore calm and sustain the current understanding, including Israel’s commitment to maintain […]
New Settlement Developments – Ramat Shlomo
On November 16 the Netanyahu government approved issuance of tenders for some 436 new units in the East Jerusalem settlement of Ramat Shlomo – in the context of the plan infamously approved in 2010, during a visit by U.S. Vice President Biden. The publication of these tenders is a serious development, marking the end of a relatively long […]