October 24, 2007

Warns of security, financial hitches in ceding Arab neighborhoods

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL -- The Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies (JIIS), a prominent think tank which previously proposed ideas for how to divide Jerusalem that were used as a basis for negotiations at the failed Camp David summit in July 2000, is now having serious reservations about dividing the city.

This news comes from the International Christian Embassy (www.icej.org) which stated in a story: “In a new report about to be released on the question of Jerusalem, the former advocate of division has reversed its stance based on numerous security, social and economic reasons, including the need to possibly compensate east Jerusalem Arabs for their loss of jobs and government benefits similar to the packages promised to the Gaza evacuees.”

“Jerusalem functions as a united city for 40 years, twice as long as the period when it was divided…. Separating from the Arab neighborhoods…will not be easy,” JIIS Director-General Ora Ahimeir told Ha'aretz.

The story went on to say that the “dovish” JIIS points out that dividing Jerusalem could bring much criticism to Israel, because the current residents of eastern Jerusalem would suffer from “the sweeping cancellation of social services, allowances…and other rights associated with the withdrawal of permanent residency status will provide strong grounds for a [Palestinian] claim of [Israeli] violation of the right to an honorable livelihood.”

The JIIS also states that an Israeli unilateral decision to divide Jerusalem could be interpreted by the international community as a violation of human rights, and the principle of human equality, since the division would occur based on ethnic lines.

“The draft of a working paper prepared by the Institute's bevy of experts also warns that an Israeli pullout from periphery Arab neighborhoods of east Jerusalem as part of a peace accord with the Palestinians without an agreement regarding the Old City and the Temple Mount could actually fuel Palestinian violence,” said the ICEJ story.

“In a Knesset speech last week, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert suggested he would be willing to surrender outlying Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem, but PA officials continue to insist they must be given control over the Temple Mount and most quarters of the Old City.

“Recent opinion polls have shown that a majority of the Israeli Jews are against any division of Jerusalem, while even many of the city's Arab residents would resist such a move.”

© 2007 ASSIST News Service, used with permission