Discrimination is flourishing in East Jerusalem
While children in West Jerusalem schools are celebrating 'Jerusalem Day,' thousands of children in East Jerusalem will stay home or crowd into rickety schoolrooms.
By Akiva Eldar
If everything goes as expected next week, with the beginning of proximity talks, thousands of Jews will be marking 43 years since the "unification of Jerusalem." The politicians will certainly not miss the festive opportunity to express their great love for "our united capital for all eternity."
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Palestinian children playing in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan on March 2, 2010. |
| Photo by: Reuters |
At that same hour, the police will continue to question municipal leaders who, while singing songs of praise to Jerusalem, lent a hand to the construction of the monstrous Holyland complex. You don't need judges in Jerusalem to know that a serious crime was committed against the city with the Holyland. But corruption on the hill in West Jerusalem is nothing compared to the theft of land, identity rape, and the body of lies and criminal discrimination against 270,000 residents of the eastern part of the city.
Although these despicable acts have been going on in broad daylight for years, the public and the media don't find them interesting. After all, it's about Arabs. If not for the "unfortunate timing" of the U.S. vice-presidential visit, who would have cared about 1,600 housing units at Ramat Shlomo? Did anyone investigate why, over the opposition of the Israel Lands Administration representative, the District Planning and Building Committee rezoned the land from open space to land for construction? Who knows how many apartments the Housing and Construction Ministry built for young couples from East Jerusalem, which, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is no different than North Tel Aviv?
A reminder: Since 1967, Israel has expropriated 35 percent of the area of East Jerusalem (around 24 square kilometers). New Jewish neighborhoods were built on those lands, with 50,000 housing units.
Hundreds of developers and contractors (and public employees?) continue to get rich from this construction. How many neighborhoods were built during that time for Arab-Israeli residents? Zero. When was the last time the government supported the construction of 600 apartments in an Arab neighborhood? Thirty years ago. Most of the lands left in the hands of Palestinians (about 45 square kilometers) have been declared "green areas." Lacking a comprehensive master plan for Jerusalem because of intentional political foot-dragging, building permits cannot be issued for areas outside the densely built-up Palestinian neighborhoods.
And after all that, people on the right dare to complain that Arabs are building without permits, while attempts are being made to "expel" Jews from Beit Yonatan, a large building without a permit that their friends stuck like a bone in the throat of a Palestinian neighborhood. The prime minister is also peddling the line that "a Palestinian from East Jerusalem can build anywhere in the city." It's hard to believe that Netanyahu, who was born in Jerusalem, doesn't know that only Israeli citizens or those entitled to Israeli citizenship through the Law of Return have access to ILA property (93 percent of the land in Israel).
Not only are Arabs from East Jerusalem not allowed to buy the homes in Talbiyeh (whose name has been officially changed to Komemiyut) where they were born 63 years ago; the law doesn't permit them to build a home on one-third of the land of East Jerusalem - the area that was expropriated from Palestinians after 1967. In contrast, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Elie Wiesel, who demanded that U.S. President Barack Obama leave Jerusalem alone, is welcome to purchase a vacation apartment in the new Jewish housing project in Sheikh Jarrah.
While children in West Jerusalem schools are celebrating "Jerusalem Day," thousands of children in East Jerusalem will stay home or crowd into rickety schoolrooms. The education minister and the mayor, who will praise the "unification of Jerusalem," are among those continually defaulting on the pledge to the High Court of Justice to build some 250 of the more than 1,000 classrooms that are lacking in the city.
And people who disregard Israel's High Court will have no trouble ignoring agreements with foreigners. Who remembers that according to phase one of the road map that the Israeli government was to reopen the Palestinian Chamber of Commerce and other shuttered Palestinian institutions in East Jerusalem, pledging that they would operate based on previous agreements?
"For Zion's sake will I not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her triumph go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a torch that burneth, and the nations shall see thy triumph, and all kings thy glory," wrote the prophet Isaiah. It's hard to believe that proximity talks will bring peace into closer proximity between Israel and the Palestinians. But if they help replace baseless, sickly sweet declarations with just a little more justice and wisdom emanating from Jerusalem, as the prophet envisioned, that will be enough.
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There will be no rewards for mistreating people. The citizens of Israel that believe this approach to the Palestinian people is morally correct do not understand the laws of nature.. "What goes around will come around." The price that will be paid for the abuse will eventually destroy the spirit. To constantly relive your past abuse.....the World is shocked that you cannot see your faults. It is so sad that you cannot WAKE UP! abuse
Great article, Akiva. As a Jerusalemite who knows the East of the city, and works with Palestinians together for peace, it's great when someone obviously knows what he's talking about, and is interested in peace. Unfortunately, usually those Israelis or people living overseas who have trouble with this level of painful truth, usually aren't doing anything for peace "tachles". Just empty talk. Bless you for the courage of your truthfulness. And your good and generous and humane Jewish HEART. A bas the selfish!! Jerusalem must be shared. It belongs to the world.
Everything would look different if BOTH sides showed some more tolerance. You are right, but the lack tolerance has to be mentioned as a cause before starting about discrimination. Discrimination is too often used as an argument to be allowed not to be tolerant. Remember also the narrow strip of Kotel Jews had to pray too before it became "ours"
Thank you Mr. Eldar, for telling it like it is. Great article.
As a proud supporter of Israel, I am so disheartened by the tone of your article. It makes me see the liberal Israeli self-hating Jew. After everything that the Palestinians have allowed their government to do (Hamas and the government before them), why do you insist on judging Israel by a higher standard than the Palestinian authorities. Apply the same standards and you will see that the Israelis are time and time again more than fair to the Palestinians, giving them more rights and privileges than they have in their own territories, in the Arab states, etc. You must hold the Palestinians responsible for their government -- they must live with what they sowed.
Melody clearly does not understand, in accusing Akiva Eldar of being a self-hating Jew for this excellent article, that most people would like to feel proud of their country, but how is that possible when there are such repressive and selective policies in place in Israel, and Jerusalem in particular? Turning a blind eye to injustice works for a while, but as we have seen many times through history, that won't be "for all eternity".
Had the Palestinians accepted the Alon Plan along with in today's terms very modest border adjustments to enhance Israeli security, they would have gotten a large state including most of East Jerusalem. The Palestinians are living in a dream world to believe the geopolitical clock can be turned back to May 30, 1967.
..for exposing the government of Israel for what it truly is. Many of the people living in East Jerusalem were made refugees once in 1947 /1948 and are facing the same fate once again. Truly shameful.
Elie Wiesel should read this article together with all 435 congressmen and 100 senators. The ignorance in the U.S is an embarrassment.
Excellent Eldar , Its good to feel that someone cares , bless you , I know that people all around the world read Haaretz , because of the truth this is the land of God and there is a lot of space for 2 nations
Jerusalem was occupied for 19 years by Jordan, a nation that bnlocked access to holy sites in the city, through out the Jews living in the sector they controlled and destroyed Synagogues, cemeteries, schools in an attempt to erase Jewish history in the city. Prior to that time, it was ruled by Britain under the terms of a League of Nations Mandate which required that nation to create a home for the Jews there. Why do people use ther term occupied when referring to the city that, according to the British census had a majority Jewish population until Jordan's army took over?
IF he or she is also an Israeli citizen.( Israel offered all East Jerusalem residents Israeli citizenship when it annexed the city. Most residents of E. Jerusalem rejected citizenship, however. ) Israeli Arabs have equal access to state-owned land—four-fifths of the entire country and in fact about half of the land they cultivate is leased to them by the Israeli government through the ILA. (Jews can not buy this land either - it can only be leased). In contrast to Israel's policy of providing access to its lands to both its Arab and Jewish citizens, Palestinian Authority's justice minister, Freih Abu Meddein, announced in May 1997 that Palestinians who sell land to Jews will face the death penalty. So, if an E. Jerusalem resident wants to build in Talbiot, he can become an Israeli citizen and do so. If, however, he wants to sell his land to a Jew, he'll be shot.
So if an Israeli citizen comes to New York and gets permanent resident status (as tens of thousands have), he can be told, 'Oh no, you can only buy a house in the Jewish neighborhoods.' Oy gavolt ! We don't have an apartheid theocracy here.
There is no proof of it anywhere, aside from rumors in comments on blogs.
How does an E. Jerusalem resident "become an israeli citizen" as you suggest? I would imagine if they could, many would. I don't think Palestinians from E.Jeru can just become Israeli citizens and then build where ever they want, I don't think they are allowed to become israeli citizens. Please correct me if I am mistaken.
For many years we've witnessed the inequities surrounding the capital of Jerusalem and the separateness of the inhabitants - despite the many generations of their presence and the suffering and turmoil since the times Mandatory Palestine. Denial of the importance of Jerusalem to either the Jewish people or to the Palestinians does not begin the path for reconciliation and rejects the mantra that we're eternal enemies. We are not and history proves so. There should be freedom of worship, access and sovereignty for places which are Jewish remaining with Israel and areas predominantly Muslim under Palestinian sovereignty (perhaps a duplex ownership at the Temple Mount). As both current leaders state, Jerusalem should remain united and viewed as a whole capital, yet administered locally and collaborative as it's a sacred Holy Place. Then peace is most likely to become reality.
and let peace be for all the Middle East
Kol Hakavod, Akiva. Hopefully the madness in East J'ru will end someday, for the sake of justice and peace.
Kol Hakavod, Akiva. Hopefully the madness in East J'ru will end someday, for the sake of justice and peace.
Haaretz thank you for being honest on the situation
The one on the wall in the background tells it all
I love teh way this debate always comes doen to timing. We have an article that quotes from Isiah, when he spoke of Jerusalem he was speaking of the whole city, Jewish city. Just because people moved into the area in more modern times does not change it. Jerusalem is a Jewish city, it has been from King David's time and with G-D' s help will be forever.
If you deny your country's right to exist & refuse to take citenship, you must be prepard to be ignored. Vote Feiglijn next time
There is no other alternative to Israel's survival and security.
bad to the bone.....
One only needs to "cross the line" from East to West and the facts become crystal clear. The city is far from unified. I see no reason to celebrate.
HOW CAN A CIVILISED WORLD,THE 21ST CENTURY,STILL HAVE THIS GOING ON.IF I HAD READ THIS,BUT WITH ALL NAMES OF PLACES OR PEOPLE LEFT OUT,I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT I WAS READING ABOUT SOME THIRD WORLD UNCIVILISED COUNTRY.I WOULD NOT BELIEVE IT COULD POSSIBLY BE A COUNTRY IN THE MODERN WORLD.
Honest Israelis are the ones who will solve the problem .
This land is a JEWISH land, with rights for Jews. For those non-Jews who want to stay here, it IS different. We were kicked out of the arab lands, where Jews lived for centuries. We now have OUR land back and if the arabs are unhappy, they can move to any of the gazzillion arab countries that surround us.
It is an AMERICAN land, with rights for AMERICANS. FOr those Jews who want to stay here, it IS different.
THANK YOU FOR THIS COURAGEOUS, SENSITIVE, AND OH SO TRUE ANALYSIS.
Excellent article, Akiva...thank you for cutting through all of the rhetoric and speaking the truth...may there be more of the same!
Sheikh Jarrah was not developed because the Palestinians were not allowed to build in it.