Back from the Brink: An Israeli-Palestinian Proposal for Jerusalem - Istituto Affari ...
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Back from the Brink: An Israeli-
© 2021 IAI
Palestinian Proposal for Jerusalem
by Menachem Klein
ISSN 2532-6570
As I write these words, violence has suggest a new blueprint for an equitable
once again descended upon Jerusalem. sharing of the city that we hope can
In early May 2021, peaceful Palestinian provide inspiration for policymakers
protesters were violently attacked and residents alike.
by Israeli police and hundreds were
wounded when the police stormed the Open Jerusalem
holy esplanade (Temple Mount/Haram
al-Sharif) in the Old City. According to the Geneva Initiative,
Jerusalem would be physically split
In a tragically familiar turn of events, into two independent capitals. Special
from Jerusalem violence gradually arrangements inside the city and
spread all over historic Palestine, border crossing stations around it,
leading to a serious 11-day escalation. would ensure that access to the Old
City and its holy sites would be open to
Reflecting on these past developments, all, with sovereignty divided between
IAI COMMENTARIES 21 | 29 - JUNE 2021
I recall how in 2001–2003, during the the independent states of Israel and
bloodiest days of the second Intifada, Palestine.1
a group of Israelis and Palestinians
that I have the privilege of being part The urban and demographic reality
of, refused to lose hope. Together we in Jerusalem and its environs has
agreed on the Geneva Initiative, a
comprehensive model for a two-state 1
The Geneva Initiative full text, annexes and
framework in Israel/Palestine. maps are available in the Geneva Initiative
website: The Accord, https://geneva-accord.
Likewise, today we reject the notion org/?p=543. See also Klein Menachem, A
Possible Peace Between Palestine and Israel. An
that the Holy City is destined to remain Insider’s Account of the Geneva Initiative, New
a place of eternal conflict. Hereafter we York, Columbia University Press, 2007.
Menachem Klein is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Political Science at Bar-Ilan
University (Israel) and former advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Shlomo Ben-Ami
and Prime Minister Ehud Barak.
1Back from the Brink: An Israeli-Palestinian Proposal for Jerusalem
undergone substantial changes in the in what may be termed a “role back”
nearly two decades since 2003, creating strategy.
greater unequal interdependence
between the Israeli and the Palestinian Second, the proposal champions a
sides. This brought Israeli and local, city-led perspective for Jerusalem
Palestinian experts of the Geneva rather than the exclusive top-down
© 2021 IAI
Initiative (including the author) to and state-led perspective that directed
present an alternative to the hard former final status talks. State agencies
border model inside Jerusalem.2 deem that most of the important
political problems can be solved once
Our new proposal for an “Open national sovereignty is established.
Jerusalem” examines the practicability City dwellers, however, are clearly
ISSN 2532-6570
of two open capitals set within the more concerned with what happens in
framework of two states. The proposal their place of residence and livelihood.
is not exhaustive. Nor does it shy from Trust building at the local city level
confronting the more challenging is achieved through everyday urban
topics, such as security. It does, encounters, whereas at the state level it
however, acknowledge the complexity is limited to high level officials.
of the issue and outlines areas that
necessitate further study. Third, “Open Jerusalem” looks at the
city as a living urban entity beyond its
The proposal seeks to prepare the unquestionable historical, religious
ground for future talks. Since much has or national-symbolic status as well as
changed all over Occupied Palestinian beyond its symbolic-national status.
Territory (OpT), some of the proposals Urban wellbeing, openness, inclusivity
contained in the “Open Jerusalem” and sustainability do not imply making
framework may be relevant for peace the city less secure.
building beyond the city as well.
Hard-border problems
Guiding principles
IAI COMMENTARIES 21 | 29 - JUNE 2021
Four core problems call for a
Three core principles – that have been reconsideration of the hard border
broadly lacking in previous rounds concept between the two capitals.
of diplomatic talks – guide our Open Firstly, there is the practical problem
Jerusalem proposal: of a border crossing next to the Old
City gates due to the sheer volume of
First, Open Jerusalem will begin with vehicle and pedestrian traffic between
the well-defined end goal of two the sides.
sovereign states with two open capitals
in Jerusalem, mapping out gradual Sites sacred to Christians, Muslims and
steps toward achieving this objective Jews are located across the Old City.
It would be difficult if not impossible
2
to check the large number of people
Geneva Initiative, Jerusalem Reconsidered.
Two Capitals, One Undivided City, March 2021,
every weekend and on holydays, nor is
https://geneva-accord.org/?p=1741. it possible to locate checkpoints next
2Back from the Brink: An Israeli-Palestinian Proposal for Jerusalem
to Jaffa and Damascus Gates without bouts of intra-ethnic and confessional
severely damaging commercial centres violence.4 Thriving cities require
adjacent to each that currently establish diversity, exchange and openness.
a living link between the two sides.
Forth, fiscally dividing Jerusalem along
Second, Israel’s expansion to the ethnic lines would necessitate huge and
© 2021 IAI
east of the pre-1967 war line, with costly infrastructure works to reverse
the expressed purpose of preventing decades of heavy Israeli investment.
a division of the city’s Palestinian
and Israeli areas, impedes the ability The Open Jerusalem regime
to build a hard border. This and the
separation wall that Israel built in With regards to municipal boundaries,
ISSN 2532-6570
2003 divide East Jerusalem businesses our open Jerusalem proposal envisions
from their hinterland in the West the prospective Israeli Yerushalayim
Bank. East Jerusalemites residents, municipality to include Jewish
have consequently turned westwards, neighbourhoods and settlements,
heightening the mutual – yet unequal while the and Palestinian al-Quds
– dependency of the city’s Jewish and municipality would include all Arab
Palestinian sections. neighbourhoods (see Figure 1).
Almost half of the East Jerusalem Areas that exist in close proximity of
labour force work in the West side and the municipal boundaries that would
earn their wage there.3 More than ever delineate the open border within the
East Jerusalem Palestinians visit West city must be treated sensitively. No
Jerusalem shopping centres, use its party should enjoy absolute authority
public transportation and study in its to develop its respective side without
universities and colleges. In addition, consulting the other.
new transportation infrastructure has
been constructed including highways With regards to the issue of institutional
and a tramline connecting East and authority, we recommended that the
IAI COMMENTARIES 21 | 29 - JUNE 2021
West Jerusalem, as well as Israeli states of Israel and Palestine give
settlements built beyond the 1967 line. maximum power to the two separate
municipalities. As reflected in the
Third, there is growing awareness Geneva Initiative, the two sides should
among both Israeli and Palestinian form a Jerusalem Coordination and
Jerusalemites about the mutual benefits Development Committee (JCDC) to
of keeping the city open and prevent oversee cooperation.
turning al-Quds and Yerushalayim into
near lifeless dead-end border cities,
or worst still the epicentre of new 4
See 2018 public opinion survey: Dan
Miodownik and Noam Brenner, One City
3
Marik Shtern, “Towards Ethno-National Two Realities: Jerusalem 2018 Public Opinion
Peripheralisation? Economic Dependency Survey, Survey Report of the project “Building
Amidst Political Resistance in Palestinian East Visions for the Future of Jerusalem: A Bottom
Jerusalem”, in Urban Studies, Vol. 56, No. 6 (May Up Approach”, April 2018, p. 20-21, https://
2019), p. 1129-1149. jerusalemvisions.huji.ac.il/node/281613.
3Back from the Brink: An Israeli-Palestinian Proposal for Jerusalem
Figure 1 | Open Jerusalem proposal, 2021
© 2021 IAI
ISSN 2532-6570
Source: Geneva Initiative, Jerusalem Reconsidered, cit., p. 33.
During its creation and based protection, religious sites and festivals,
on international experience, the archaeological sites, energy and water.
following issues should be addressed
by the committee: structure and Moving to the economy, we suggest a
responsibilities related to the desire model that enables the free movement
IAI COMMENTARIES 21 | 29 - JUNE 2021
for coordination; dispute settlement of goods, people and capital between
mechanisms with an agreed role for the two cities and ideally the two states.
third party monitoring and evaluation The three relevant options include
of implementation and the criteria signing a bilateral economic agreement
for appointing delegates to the joint including free trade and the use of
committee. the two national currencies; creating
a special economic zone in order to
The two states should for instance attract international investment or
agree on visa policy matters, adopting a model similar to that which
security issues and the economy. exists among Gulf Cooperation Council
At the municipal level, systematic states. This latter option can include
cooperation should be established on elements from the previous ones.
areas encompassing emergency and
health services, transportation, higher The separation wall fosters slum
education, tourism, environmental conditions in East Jerusalem and an
4Back from the Brink: An Israeli-Palestinian Proposal for Jerusalem
asymmetric interdependency between A series of advanced technological
it and West Jerusalem. Removing this solutions such as biometric cameras
physical separation, with all that it and smart identification procedures
entails in both symbolic and practical aimed at diminishing the physical
terms, and creating an independent imposition of hefty checkpoints
al-Quds while maintaining freedom infrastructure could also be deployed.
© 2021 IAI
of movement between it and Advanced technology, privacy and
Yerushalayim would benefit both security cooperation could help to
peoples and capitals. Freed from mitigate the security risks by potential
Israeli control over sectors such as spoilers on both sides.
tourism, basic services, planning and
housing, Palestinian residents would In the context of an open city it
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see substantial improvements in their would be more desirable to have a
quality of life and could further benefit series of easy crossing points dotted
the development of the open city. along the agreed-upon location.
Jerusalemites will have maximum and
With regards to infrastructure and easy movement and will not require a
basic services, attempts to disconnect visa for access. Smart city technologies
and separate the electricity, water and can also contribute to the monitoring
sewage systems all at once would be of people within each side which can
technically problematic and harm the serve as an additional security element.
everyday life of residents. Instead, Open Further study is needed to identify
Jerusalem suggests first separating the the right solution to security and
management of these lines and then legal challenges introduced by those
gradually working towards physical technologies.
separation. Special arrangements
should be found for cross-border Finally, given the undisputed religious
transportation and environmental and cultural significance of Jerusalem,
systems of shared interest. religious rights and cultural heritage
must also figure prominently in any
IAI COMMENTARIES 21 | 29 - JUNE 2021
Turning to the sensitive issues of agreed resolution on the final status of
policing and security, each state Jerusalem. Within the parameters of a
will assume responsibility for the two-state framework, cultural heritage
maintenance of law and order in its properties within Israeli territory would
capital. A joint policing command fall under Israeli jurisdiction and vice
team with special legal status can versa. The reciprocity principle of free
synchronise cross-sovereignty access maintenance and respect for
operations. The subject requires further each sides’ narrative should guide this
study and there is value in drawing process.
best practices from international cases
(e.g. the EU experience) on command Further recommendations include
hierarchy, locational jurisdiction and expanding the Jerusalem World
security arrangements as they relate to Heritage site to include the open area,
legal arrangements. establishing a joint cultural heritage
council with UNESCO participation,
5Back from the Brink: An Israeli-Palestinian Proposal for Jerusalem
returning all artefacts previously • For the international community:
excavated in the territory of the other Establish an international fund to help
side to its original place and enhancing East Jerusalem overcome its lack of
a cultural heritage management significant investment in infrastructure
system. and services. The fund will receive
applications from East Jerusalem NGOs
© 2021 IAI
Preparing the ground and work with them directly.
This Open Jerusalem proposal can only • The international community should
work in the context of a broader political put pressure on Israel to let East
environment, very different from that Jerusalemites vote in Palestinian
which exists today. It requires a peace Legislative Elections as the case was in
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process based on a clear framework 2006, and in accordance with the Oslo
and parameters for action. Accords. Pressure on the Palestinian
Authority to announce a new date
The EU and the US have a special for the elections should similarly be
responsibility to push both sides and applied.
societies towards this objective. If and
when room is created for diplomacy, • Israel should let the Arab Studies
Open Jerusalem will be worth Society reopen Orient House, the
considering. cultural and identity centre of East
Jerusalem that Israel closed in 2002,
To help prepare the ground for new and and return its confiscated library
creative arrangements we propose a collection. In addition, Israel should
number of concrete recommendations let Palestinian Jerusalemites select
below. their local representatives to represent
community needs to the Israeli
• For Israel, the PLO and international municipality, and receive international
mediators: Negotiations over donations to improve services and
Jerusalem should not be postponed infrastructure utilised by Palestinian
IAI COMMENTARIES 21 | 29 - JUNE 2021
until other components of the final residents.
status agreement have been completed
as agreed in Oslo Accords. Moreover, 14 June 2021
in order to build trust, the sides should
implement areas that have been agreed
upon while discussions on other issues
continue.
• For Israel and international mediators:
There should be a freeze on the building
of Israeli settlements in occupied East
Jerusalem, on house demolitions and
forcible evictions and a prohibition on
land confiscation in East Jerusalem.
6Back from the Brink: An Israeli-Palestinian Proposal for Jerusalem
Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI)
The Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) is a private, independent non-profit think tank,
founded in 1965 on the initiative of Altiero Spinelli. IAI seeks to promote awareness of
international politics and to contribute to the advancement of European integration and
multilateral cooperation. Its focus embraces topics of strategic relevance such as European
© 2021 IAI
integration, security and defence, international economics and global governance, energy,
climate and Italian foreign policy; as well as the dynamics of cooperation and conflict in key
geographical regions such as the Mediterranean and Middle East, Asia, Eurasia, Africa and
the Americas. IAI publishes an English-language quarterly (The International Spectator),
an online webzine (Affarinternazionali), three book series (Global Politics and Security,
Quaderni IAI and IAI Research Studies) and some papers’ series related to IAI research
projects (Documenti IAI, IAI Papers, etc.).
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