"JERUSALEM, HEART OF THE HOLY LAND, DIVIDED OR NOT?"

By Jo-ana D'Balcazar
Political Analyst in the Middle East



"JERUSALEM, HEART OF THE HOLY LAND,
DIVIDED OR NOT?"
By Jo-ana D'Balcazar
Political Analyst in the Middle East

MIDDLE EAST : NOVEMBER 27, 2002 - The Palestinian-Israeli question is one of the most difficult conflicts. Ironically, the Holy Land -- holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims -- became the Land of Discord. Since the Palestine partition in 1947, approved by UN resolution 181, peace was very close twice. The challenge is to solve the dispute over Jerusalem, as Jews and Arab-Palestinians claim her as their capital. Who will be the modern Solomon bringing effective policies to reconcile Jews and Arab-Palestinians?

Historically, there has never been a Palestinian country, language or culture. The term ''Palestine'' was a political invention during the Roman's occupation in the 2nd century AD. Emperor Hadrian in 135 AD renamed Judea Provincia Syria Palaestina and Jerusalem Aelia Capitolina to erase Jewish identity during the second major Jewish revolt Bar Kochba, against the oppression of Romans. Later, it was shortened to "Palestine."

Jerusalem has been the eternal capital of the Jews since King David established it more than 3,000 years ago. Arabs invaded Jerusalem in 634 AD in their quest to convert the world to Islam. Jerusalem belonged to the Jews around 2,400 years before Prophet Mohammed founded Islam in the 600s AD. Jews pray facing Jerusalem, Muslims pray facing Mecca. Muslims consider Jerusalem their third holiest place for the Dome of the Rock after Mecca and Medina; Jews consider Jerusalem their holy city. The Dome of the Rock was built during the Umayyad Dynasty in 691 over the ruins of the Second Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount, destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, and the al-Aksa in 715.

The ''Western Wall'' remnant of the Second Temple is Judaism's most revered site: its link with the past and the hope for the future.

Today Jews and Arab-Palestinians claim Jerusalem as their capital. Although Muslims claim Jerusalem, the Koran never mentions Jerusalem as capital of any Arab country. The Jewish Bible mentions Jerusalem 669 times and Zion 154 times referring to Jerusalem or the Land of Israel, totaling 823 times. The Christian Bible mentions Jerusalem 154 times and Zion seven times. Some Muslims claim the ''furthest mosque'' refer to Jerusalem.

When Jordan controlled Jerusalem, Arabs never suggested having Jerusalem as their capital and Arab leaders never visited. Then, why do Arabs claim Jerusalem? The answer is simple: politics.

On Nov. 29, 1947, UN resolution 181 called for the partition of Palestine. The partition consisted of two independent states: one Jewish and one Arab, while Jerusalem remained an international zone.

Arabs living in Palestine and the Arab states committed their first political mistake to reach peace by rejecting the partition they were offered; and now, they're demanding precisely that. Jews did accept the partition and became the State of Israel on May 14, 1948. However, Israel was immediately attacked by Arab-Palestinians and Arab forces of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq.

Arab rejection contributed to the ongoing violence for 55 years now. Jordan invaded and occupied East Jerusalem in May 1948 and ousted Jews from the Old City, dividing Jerusalem for the first time. Israel controlled West Jerusalem from 1948 to 1967. Jordan denied Israelis access to the Western Wall and Mount of Olives cemetery, violating the 1949 Armistice Agreement. The Arab-Palestinians refused to renounce violence. Israel united Jerusalem after Jordan attacked West Jerusalem during the 1967 Six Day War.

The second opportunity to reach peace and settle the Jerusalem issue was July 2000 during negotiations by President Bill Clinton at Camp David between Israel's ex-prime minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat. By refusing Barak's offer, Arafat committed the second political mistake.

According to Ambassador Dennis B. Ross, former special Middle East coordinator, U.S. Department of State and chief negotiator, the offer included 97 percent of Judea and Samaria (West Bank), Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem and return of refugees to the Palestinian State. Had Arafat accepted, Jerusalem would have remained divided. It appears Arafat had no real intention to end the conflict, yet negotiations effectively made peace between Israel and Egypt in 1979 and in 1994 between Israel and Jordan.

Peace cannot be made by homicide bombings and fundamentalist Muslim groups, such as Hezbollah and Hamas calling for the destruction of Israel to establish an Arab-Palestine State under Islamic rule. Attacks by Arafat's terrorist groups Al-Fatah, Tanzim and al-Aksa Martyr Brigades, plus a campaign of hatred toward Israel will never lead to peace.

Yet, the peace process goes beyond Jerusalem. It includes water, borders and refugees.

Can the world wait another 55 years for the modern Solomon to bring peace between Jews and Arabs? Will Jerusalem be finally divided or not?

Jo-ana D'Balcazar, M.A., Political Analyst in International Relations,
specializes in the European Union and the Middle East Crisis.



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