Week 2

Reading Response

"Jerusalem Then and Now" - The importance of Jerusalem as a sacred site overshadows the geographical significance of the area. Mick Dumper mainly follows the power struggle for the three faiths and how the flourishing of each religion depended on political dominance of ruling powers. By 1967 the Israel army controlled both West and East Jerusalem, intensifying the tension between groups. There has been little effort to integrate the Palestinian population into Israeli society, instead efforts from the Israeli government tried to expand the Israeli culture into Palestinian areas. The current arrangement of Israeli occupation is unacceptable to the Palestinian people, who see Jerusalem as a crucial center for their capital. The author states that unless there is a change in those non negotiable, further negotiations will not happen.

"The History of Jerusalem: An Arab Perspective" - The author of this article first starts off by stating the difficulty of differentiating true history from legends and myths. However, he does not discount the significance of native beliefs as an important factor in the history of Jerusalem. Palestinians believed that the current Arab population is descended from the original inhabitants of Jerusalem and have been Arabized over time. I found this piece of information interesting because it gives a share of legitimacy of Jerusalem to the Palestinian and Arab population. That aside, each religion has its own reason and beliefs for the importance of Jerusalem. According to the article, during the rule of the Ottoman, Jerusalem was under Islamic rule, but it was time a time of religious toleration. However, after the British occupation in 1917, the Zionist movement gained support by the British government that pushed for a separate and exclusive Jewish state. The author ends in hopes for a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem that gives religious freedom to the three faiths.

"Jerusalem: The Holy City Though the Ages" - Reba Rubin follows the historical rulers and conquerers of Jerusalem and narrates the religious significance that each ruling power brings in either destructing or restoring the three faiths.

"A Brief History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict" - This article gave me a brief understanding to the modern Arab-Israeli conflict. In 1949 Israel declared its independence and pushed thousands of Palestinians to leave the area and live as refugees. Since, there has been strong conflicts between Israel and the Arab nations. Over the years, the has been much blood shed on the Palestinian side in hopes of regaining their state and by the Israeli side who are committed in keeping control. Though there has been talks about peace and talks of creating a two states, to this day there has been no real peace in negotiation talks.