By Nadav Shragai, Haaretz Correspondent: Israel cements ownership of Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem's Old City
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Title: The Jewish majority in the Old City in 19th Century Name: E A Green City: Jerusalem State: Israel
Jews were the largest communal group in the Old City as of 1839-1840, after Jews made homeless by the earthquake in Safed came down to Jerusalem. Jews have been the absolute majority in Jerusalem since 1853, according to French historian & diplomat, Cesar Famin, whose figures were republished by Karl Marx [New York Tribune 4-15-1854]. Prof Yehoshua Ben-Arieh points out that Jews were the majority in the Old City in 1900, although subject to many Ottoman restrictions based on Islamic law [shari`ah]. Muslims have been a MINORITY in Jerusalem since the start of the 19th century [see Ben-Arieh`s book].