1. CONTROL JERUSALEM SAFELY Khalid Qumsieh, Katie Leveling, Kate Burman Beloit College Draft 2/13/2006 Abstract The holy city of Jerusalem has been a point of debate and violence for many decades. A variety of holy cites are within its walls, and each has significance to different religious groups. In 1947, Jewish forces forced about a million Palestinian out of their homes and established the nation of Israel. Since then the city of Jerusalem has been subject to violence, anger, and a myriad of failed solutions. Both Israeli Jews and Palestinian Muslims feel that Jerusalem is central to their religious tradition and rightfully their own. To further establish ownership over the land, Israel has undertaken the construction of a security wall around Palestinian territory- the West Bank and the Gaza Strip- and has made it almost impossible for Palestinians to enter Jerusalem. There have been many past attempts to resolve the conflict and split the city between the two parties, but none have succeeded. The Israelis and the Palestinians need a peaceable solution to the age-old territorial dispute. Introduction The conflict over the holy land of Jerusalem is ages old; because of its importance to Christians, Jews, and Muslims, there has been an ongoing struggle to decide who should lay claim to it. The region’s current crisis has its roots in the UN petition of Palestine in 1947, in which the UN proposed that Palestine be split into two states and Jerusalem be under international sovereignty [1]. This proposal was rejected, and in 1948 Jewish armies conquered Palestinian lands and formed the nation of Israel [1]. Thousands of Palestinians were displaced from their homes [1]. During the Six- Day War in 1967, Israel gained even more territory as it took the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and claimed Jerusalem as part of its sovereign state[1]. Israel made the annexation official in 1980. The Palestinians attempted to regain some control over the area during the Oslo Accords in 1993. At these negotiations it was established that the two parties would eventually come to two-state solution. How this is to be done, exactly, is still hotly contested. In 2000, President Clinton proposed a solution for the Jerusalem crisis [2]. His plan included an elaborate territorial divide of the city and gave Palestinians ownership of the Temple Mount as well as the non- Jewish area of the old city [1]. It, like all other proposals, was rejected. Further unsuccessful negotiations took place at the Camp David Accords in 2002 [2]. The most recent attempt at solving this problem is the Road Map of 2003, a multi-nation-sponsored plan outlined by the Bush Administration. While the first steps of the Road Map were initiated, the peace process halted with the 2006 eruptions of violence in the Gaza strip. The situation is further complicated by the wall Israel has built to separate Israelis from Palestinians; heavy security, checkpoints, and difficulty in obtaining government permission has made it all but impossible for Palestinians to enter Jerusalem. The two opposing parties need a peaceable solution that preserves their autonomy, security, and ability to worship Jerusalem’s holy cites. Objective Criteria Only three countries recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital (Greece, Costa Rica and El Salvador)—the rest of the international community has embassies at Tel Aviv 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank and 29 in East Jerusalem (approx. 364,000 total) as of August 2005 Israel’s population is 16% Muslim; West Bank’s population is 17% Jewish Since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) stationed in Jerusalem to “supervise armistice agreements and prevent isolated incidents from escalating” Economic decline since wall construction and border closures in 2000 45.7% of Palestinian Authority (Gaza Strip and West Bank) live below poverty line Approx. 4170 Israeli and Palestinian casualties from September 2000 to January 2005 (see chart) January 2006, Hamas took control of Palestinian legislature; most international aid ceased (from US, EU members, and Israel) Possible Solutions Turn Jerusalem into internationally controlled region, using UN authority and control--Split Jerusalem; West to Israel, East to an eventual Palestinian state. Give Palestinians dual-citizenship to ease access to Jerusalem’s holy sites. Palestinian "Right of Return" campaign—return of refugees to their homes. Build a bridge between West Bank and Gaza strip, connecting a Palestinian state. Media education campaign for tolerance, using schools, newspapers, and television. Re-organize military presence so that it is a neutral, peacekeeping force, not a barrier between Jerusalem and West Bank. Remove the maze of checkpoints along the West Bank, recognizing Palestinian’s right to transportation. Restart foreign aid to Palestine by the international community, to counteract Hamas government hostility as a preliminary to negotiation talks. Organized talks between citizens of Jerusalem, mediated by the UN, to get a sense of the citizens’ deepest concerns Interests Both the Israelis and the Palestinians want to stop the mutual violence. Israeli government wants Jerusalem to be its Capital because of the symbolic meaning of Jerusalem in the Jewish history and in the idea of the “return”. Palestinian government wants Jerusalem to be its Capital because of the its place in the Islamic history. In addition, Jerusalem is the heart of the Palestinian education, religion, and culture. Both Governments wants control over Jerusalem as it is the hottest spot for tourism, which in turn makes Jerusalem an important source for national income. References 1. Elihu Katz, Shlomit Levy, and Jerome M. Segal, "The Status of Jerusalem in the Eyes of Israeli Jews," Center for International and Security Studies, University of Maryland, 1997 2. Nader Said and Jerome M. Segal, "The Status of Jerusalem in the Eyes of Palestinians," Center for International and Security Studies, University of Maryland, 1997 3. Jerome M. Segal, "Is Jerusalem Negotiable?" Center for International and Security Studies, University of Maryland, 1997 4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/middle_east/03/v3_israel_palestinians/ 5. http://www.passia.org/publications/Conflict/Conflict-Jerusalem.htm 6. http://www.mideastweb.org/briefhistory.htm 7. http://www.publicpolicy.umd.edu/IPPP/Fall97Report/negotiating_jerusalem.htm