The part of Jerusalem that the Palestinians demand for their capital was under Arab control from 1948-1967. Jordan occupied the city and the
West Bank for 19 years — and, curiously, the Palestinians never demanded an end to the “occupation” or the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. These demands only emerged when Israel — that is Jews — took control over the area. Palestinians have never been able to explain the nearly two-decade gap in their supposed longing for self-determination in the land that they speciously claim has been theirs since time immemorial.
Before advocating a redivision of Jerusalem, proponents should read the history of that period. Israel made western
Jerusalem its capital; meanwhile,
Jordan occupied the eastern section but did not move its capital there. Jordan violated the
1949 Armistice Agreement by denying Israelis access to the
Western Wall and to the
Mount of Olives. Worse, the
Jewish Quarter in the
Old City was razed, 58 synagogues were
destroyed or desecrated, and thousands of tombstones in the Mount of Olives cemetery were destroyed to pave a road and build fences and latrines in Jordanian army camps.
Under Jordanian rule, Israeli Muslims were also not permitted to visit their Holy Places in East Jerusalem. Meanwhile, “Israeli Christians were subjected to various restrictions during their seasonal pilgrimages to their holy places,” according to longtime mayor
Teddy Kollek. “Only limited numbers were grudgingly permitted to briefly visit the Old City and
Bethlehem at Christmas and Easter.”
Jordan also passed laws restricting the opening of new Christian schools, giving Jordan control over the appointment of teachers, and requiring the teaching of the
Koran. In 1965, Christian institutions were forbidden to acquire any land or rights in or near Jerusalem. In 1966, Christian schools were compelled to close on Fridays instead of Sundays. Because of these repressive policies, many Christians emigrated from Jerusalem. Their numbers declined from 25,000 in 1949, to fewer than 13,000 in June 1967.
The discriminatory laws adopted by Jordan were abolished by Israel after the city was reunited in 1967.
Would Palestinian policies in Jerusalem be any different than those of the Jordanians? Based on Palestinian words and deeds, there is reason for concern.
(full article online)
Will Palestinians Protect Freedom of Religion and Holy Places in Jerusalem?