The Status of Jerusalem-Challenges and Outlook
Date
2025-01
Authors
Rasem Mohieddin Khamaisi
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Al-Quds University
Abstract
This article seeks to provide a concise review of the geopolitical, demographic, and symbolic status of Jerusalem, while also exploring the diverse narratives surrounding its physical and urban development. It begins by defining the particular status of Jerusalem as discussed in this paper, followed by an examination of the condition of its residents. The discussion briefly touches on the competing narratives that shape the symbolic and normative foundations for both Palestinians and Israelis, influencing their discourse, actions, and interactions with the city.
We also address demographic shifts—focusing on changes in population size, demographic characteristics, and distribution patterns within and around Jerusalem. The paper then delves into the geopolitical landscape and the political participation of Jerusalemites, analyzing land policies and spatial planning efforts aimed at engineering the city’s future. These sections aim to anticipate the shape of Jerusalem’s urban fabric by mid-century, based on current trends and visible transformations.
The paper asserts that forecasting the future of Jerusalem cannot be separated from the broader trajectory of Palestinian-Israeli relations, despite the city’s unique status. This special status led both Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization to postpone decisions regarding Jerusalem until final-status negotiations under the interim agreements of the Oslo Accords. Israel, meanwhile, has imposed municipal borders, annexed lands from the West Bank under domestic law, and granted Palestinians within these annexed areas a distinct status, actions that violate international law.
United Nations Resolution 181 of 1947, which partitioned Mandatory Palestine, designated Jerusalem and its environs as a “separate entity, corpus separatum.” However, Israeli settlement policies in East Jerusalem and its urban surroundings have further complicated matters, creating a tangled web of Israeli settlements and Palestinian cities and villages that now exist in close geographical proximity. Beyond its geopolitical significance, Jerusalem holds profound religious importance as a spiritual center for the three major monotheistic faiths—Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Its spiritual prominence is mirrored by its geographical centrality: Jerusalem lies at the heart of Palestine, along the urban axis that connects the northern and southern West Bank.
Moreover, Israel has passed special laws concerning Jerusalem and made government decisions shaped by its Jewish, Zionist, and Israeli perspectives. This unique status places Jerusalem at the core of geopolitical negotiations, often referred to as the key to resolving the conflict in the land of Isra and Mi’raj.
The challenges of anticipating Jerusalem's future and its impact on both Jerusalemites and the broader Palestinian and Israeli communities are vast and complex. The process of anticipation, unlike mere prediction or speculation, is a strategic tool employed by nations and institutions to craft policies and prepare for future outcomes. Rooted in the principle that "the present is the future of the past, just as it is the past of the future," anticipation draws lessons from history and applies them to current realities to foresee future developments.
By examining the past and critically analyzing the present—its dynamics, influences, and contradictions—we can attempt to project possible futures for Jerusalem. This paper employs an anticipatory methodology, utilizing scientific tools to extrapolate the present challenges and envision potential outcomes. It draws from the author’s extensive research and planning experience, using a descriptive, critical, and comparative approach to explore the city’s past, present, and future.
The study examines demographic, geopolitical, and socio-cultural trends in the context of the neoliberal market economy that shapes daily life. This economy, heavily influenced by Israel's socio-economic ideologies and policies of economic liberalism, plays a key role in determining how space is used and how communities interact. Additionally, the paper analyzes land use and spatial planning policies, seeking to understand their impact on the city’s urban fabric and its physical and functional connection to its surroundings. Ultimately, this analysis aims to open possibilities for future geopolitical resolutions.