Imminent Demolition of Khan al Ahmar
On May 24, the Israeli High Court of Justice rejected the petition of the residents of the Bedouin village Khan Al Ahmar against the planned demolition of their community. As a result, the demolition of their homes is now imminent. As we have detailed previously (see here and here), the scope of the demolition threat […]
Relative Calm on the Temple Mt/Haram al Sharif During Ramadan
According to OCHA, 87,000 and 122,000 Palestinians were allowed to enter Jerusalem from the West Bank on the second and third Fridays of Ramadan, respectively. Unlike last year, Gaza worshippers were not allowed to travel to Jerusalem for Friday prayers, except for international organizations’ staff based Gaza (according to Gisha). Reportedly, 200,000 Muslim worshippers attended […]
Israel’s Persistent Efforts to Evict Silwan/Batan al Hawa Residents
On June 10, Israel’s Supreme court held the hearing of the petition of the residents of Batan Al-Hawa, a Silwan neighborhood, threatened to be evicted as a result of the transfer of their land by the Custodian General to a settlers’ trust, controlled by Ateret Cohanim, in 2002. During the hearing, the State’s attorney admitted […]
Jerusalem & the Trump “Peace Plan”
We agree with the general assessment, put forth by many observers, that the Trump Administration likely neither aspires nor intends to put forward a comprehensive peace plan. Rather, the White House more likely has in mind a series of more limited measures and policies. the primary goal of which is clear: to create sufficient forward […]
US Embassy Opening – Impact Thus Far
As one could have expected, the opening of the US embassy has turned Jerusalem into a political battleground, revealing growing rifts in world views and exacerbating, rather than resolving, the controversy over Jerusalem’s status. As we have discussed previously, the move of the US embassy has sparked broad international criticism and condemnations. Prominent world leaders, […]
US Embassy Opening – Where Things Stand & Implications
Where do things stand with the opening? Notwithstanding rumors that security considerations could lead to a delay, the opening of the first-ever U.S. embassy in Jerusalem is expected to take place, as originally announced, on May 14. That date coincides with Israel’s Independence Day, which is also the date on which the Palestinians’ mark Nakba […]
UNESCO’s Latest Jerusalem Resolution – Delayed/Dampened by Consensus
In recent years the United States and Israel have railed against resolutions in UNESCO critical of Israel, and in particular against resolutions critical of Israeli actions and policy in Jerusalem. This year — to the backdrop of Trump’s historic policy shift on Jerusalem (which was roundly condemned by the UN General Assembly) and of ongoing […]
Status Quo is Changing on the Temple Mt/Haram al-Sharif
Over the recent Passover holiday (March 3 – April 7), activities focused on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif confirmed a number of important, and growing, trends. These trends have serious implications for security and stability not only at this sensitive site, but in Jerusalem as a whole and beyond, given the capacity for events at the […]
The Changing Status Quo on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif – Trends & Implications
The Changing Status Quo on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif – Trends & Implications Over the recent Passover holiday (March 3 – April 7), activities focused on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif confirmed a number of important, and growing, trends. These trends have serious implications for security and stability not only at this sensitive site, but in […]
The Israeli Government’s Creation of a Settler Realm in and around Jerusalem’s Old City
The Israeli Government’s Creation of a Settler Realm in and around Jerusalem’s Old City In recent weeks and months, the world’s focus, as it relates to Jerusalem, has been fixed on important issues like the formal shift in American policy vis-a-vis Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and questions related to moving its embassy, and like efforts […]