Read United Nations Resolutions on Jerusalem nr. 181 of 1948; nr. 242 of 1967; and nr. 478 of 1980:
Jerusalem cannot be merely Israeli or merely Palestinian, neither merely Muslim or Christian
or Jewish. It should be shared by all.
* Settlements:
Since 1967, Israel has built vast Jewish-only settlements on occupied Palestinian land,
including the Eastern part of Jerusalem. These settlements violate the Fourth Geneva
Convention that prohibits the Occupying Power to transfer its population into occupied
territory.
Jerusalem cuts the West Bank in two and has completed the encirclement of East Jerusalem.
Israeli authorities restrict access to Jerusalem to Palestinians from the West Bank and the
movement between the north and south of the West Bank. The city is no longer the heart of
Palestinian political, economic and cultural life. In spite of international pressure, the
Jerusalem municipality has over the past months approved plans to construct new housing
units in Pisgat Zeev settlement and hotel rooms and housing units in East Talpiot.
2- The Israeli E-1 plan that connects the very large Ma’aleh Adumim settlement to3
In recent months tensions have risen in Sheikh Jarrah, a Palestinian neighbourhood where
settlers are engaged in a campaign to evict the Palestinian inhabitants. Israeli, Palestinian and
international peace activists demonstrating against this violence have been stopped and more
than 120 demonstrators have been arrested by the police. On 4 July 2010, a group of more
than 40 leading Israeli jurists, academics, authors, and politicians called in a letter upon the
Attorney General of Israel to investigate suspected misconduct on the part of the Jerusalem
police in Sheikh Jarrah. According to them, “The events of recent months in East Jerusalem
clearly reveal that the District Police has been acting illegally and in violation of decisions by
the courts when the latter are not to their liking. For example, despite repeated rulings by the
courts to the effect that the protest vigils in the neighbourhood are legal, in practice the
police close off the neighbourhood to activists from the left while at the same time allowing
right-wing activists to carry out provocative, and at times violent, political actions on a wide
scale.”
3 * The separation barrier:
In its advisory opinion of 9 July 2004, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled
that “The construction of the wall being built by Israel, the occupying Power, in the Occupied
Palestinian Territory, including in and around East Jerusalem and its associated regime, and
2- Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to Civilian Persons in Time of War, article
3- org.il/Eng/?CategoryID=327&ArticleID=740
According to Ir Amim, “New comstruction in Pisgat Zeev and East Talpiot”, http://www.iramim.accessed 24 July 2010.
4- English translation of the letter, accessible on http://www.en.justjlm.org/
are contrary to international law” and that it should be dismantled.
continues. The separation barrier divides people from their workplaces, farmhouses from
their land, and villages from sources of water. The wall has seriously harmed the Palestinian
economy and has Religious places such as Bethlehem, Beit Jala and Beit Sahour are separated from Jerusalem
by this wall. For Christians, the town of Bethlehem is inextricably linked to Jerusalem. Walls
now divide Jerusalem and separate it from its natural hinterland.
5 Until today, constructionde facto meant the annexation of more land, often the most fertile areas.
Home demolitions
The Israeli Jerusalem municipality rarely grants building permits to Palestinians and therefore
many houses are constructed without a license. Under this claim that they are unlicensed,
houses in East Jerusalem are being demolished. On Tuesday, July 13 the Municipality demolished
construction and a warehouse in Issawiyya neighbourhood, two populated houses in Jabal
Mukabber neighbourhood and another house in Beit Hanina neighbourhood. It should be
marked that this is the first time in about eight months that the municipality has demolished
houses in East Jerusalem.
Jerusalemsix structures in East Jerusalem: two houses that were under6 Residency rights under threat Since 1967, Palestinian Jerusalemites have the status of permanent foreign residents in the city. This status can be revoked by the Israeli authorities under certain circumstances. Israeli Haaretz newspaper recently described it as follows: “Citizens of Israel can leave the country for any length of time, and their citizenship and all their rights are theirs in perpetuity. But when it comes to Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem, Israel applies draconian regulations whose covert intent is to bring about the expulsion of as many Palestinians as possible from their home city.”
Orient House was closed by the Israeli authorities. Israeli efforts to deny Palestinians political
presence in Jerusalem were again illustrated by the Israeli High Court decision in June 2010 to
revoke the residency rights of 3 Jerusalemite Hamas members of the Palestinian Legislative
Council and to deport them.
7- Palestinian Jerusalemites do not have political institutions to refer to since
Press release ICJ, 9 July 2004, http://www.icjcij.
6- org.il/Eng/?CategoryID=327&ArticleID=738
7- According to Ir Amim, “House Demolitions”, http://www.iramim., accessed 24 July 2010.
1.297577
“The Silent Expulsion” in Haaretz, 22 June 2010, http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/the-silentexpulsion-
* Conclusion
Jerusalem has a special status, given its pluralistic and religious importance. The ongoing
violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in the city threaten its peaceful
future. To reach a peaceful future, the five components of the city (three religions and two
peoples) must be taken into consideration and given satisfaction, and due respect guaranteed
to national or religious differences.
Because of the universal significance of Jerusalem, the international community, including the
UN Human Rights Council, ought to be engaged in the stability and permanence of this status.
Jerusalem is too valuable to be solely dependent on municipal or national political authorities,
whoever they may be. Experience shows that an international guarantee is necessary.
Therefore its unique status that distinguishes it from all cities of the world needs to be
guaranteed.
Recommendations
Pax Christi International calls on the Human Rights Council to:
Muslims, Jews and Christians around the world and the serious threat ongoing
violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in the city pose to the
possibility of reaching a just and lasting peace for the city, it is important that a special
monitoring mechanism for violations of international law is adopted. This could be a
Special Rapporteur or another independent and public monitoring and reporting
mechanism.
Appoint a Special Rapporteur for Jerusalem. Given Jerusalem’s importance for
contribute to violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in East
Jerusalem, e.g. through investment in companies involved in construction of
settlements or demolition of houses in East Jerusalem.ompanies involved in constru
To adopt a resolution calling on all members of the UN to guarantee that they will not contribute to violations of human right and international humanitarian law in east Jerusalem, e.g. through investment in construation of settlements or demolition of houses in east Jerusalem.
