Haaretz
Tevet 13, 5766
The city of Jerusalem now
represents two separate and distinct problems: the sites that are sacred
to the three monotheistic religions and the existence of a large Arab
population - at the end of 2004, numbering some 237,100 people.
In
the matter of the holy places, a historical precedent exists that is
wonderfully suited to the issue of Jerusalem and could serve as a basis
for the solution of the problem without partitioning the city. In 1871, a
serious disagreement developed between the government of united Italy and
the Vatican following the declaration of the city of Rome as the capital
of Italy. The dispute continued until 1929, when the Lateran Treaty
established a "special status under international guarantee" for the five
basilicas that belong to the Vatican, but which are outside of its
territory and scattered throughout the city of Rome (such as San Pietro in
Vincoli). The "international guarantee" was given to the special status,
and not to the churches.
It would appear that Israel could adopt a
resolution of this sort: It could declare unilaterally, by virtue of its
sovereignty, that it is granting a special status with an international
guarantee to the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock Sanctuary on the
Temple Mount, as well as to all the other places in Jerusalem, or in
Israel, that are sacred to Christianity and also of course to the places
that are sacred to Judaism. To this declaration it should be added that
Israel also grants "free passage to the holy places regardless of
religion, gender or race" to anyone who wishes to visit the courtyard of
the Temple Mount and that everything that is currently applicable to the
Muslims on the Temple Mount will continue to apply as it does
today.
Such a move on Israel's part would lead to a number of very
important positive results: Jerusalem would remain whole and not divided;
each of the three monotheistic religions would be sovereign over the
buildings that are sacred to it, would administer them and would be
responsible for what happens inside them.
International public
opinion would welcome such a move and it would be an important step toward
advancing a solution to the most complicated and sensitive element in the
Arab-Israeli conflict. As for Israel, in the context of the stipulation
that there would be "free passage to the holy places regardless of
religion, gender or race," its inhabitants would be able to visit (not
worship) as they do today.
Presumably Arab governments would raise
an outcry against such a declaration on Israel's part, because of their
interest to maintain the supposedly "religious aspect" of the Arab-Israeli
conflict. As a result of that, possibly the Islamic states would convene
to discuss the measures they should take because of this new
responsibility that they have suddenly been confronted with. It is even
possible that they would want to establish a small policing force with
Israel's agreement to deal with issues liable to arise on the Temple Mount
as well as for purposes of overseeing what occurs there on a routine
basis.
If so, not only will there be no need to divide the city
because of the sites that are sacred to Islam, but also we will be
relieved of "the punishment of the other" and take one of the most
important steps toward resolving this complicated and delicate issue in
the Arab-Israeli conflict.
As for the problem of the very large
Arab population in the city: It must first be noted that the reality today
is that Jerusalem is already divided between its eastern part and its
western part - with respect to the level of services, the quality of life,
employment opportunities, poverty and so forth. The predicted annual
growth of the Jewish population between 2000 and 2020 has been estimated
at 1.9 percent, whereas the growth of the Palestinian population during
the same period is expected to be more than double that number.
How
is it possible to overcome this problem, which over the years will
transform the capital of Israel into a city with an absolute Arab
majority? Even if it were possible, no one would even think of a mass
"expulsion" of the masses of the Arab population from the city. Therefore,
it is necessary to attract Israelis and Jewish immigrants to Jerusalem and
to keep its Jewish inhabitants living there and prevent them from
abandoning it. If such measures are not taken, the day is not far off when
the capital of Israel will be a city in which the absolute majority of its
inhabitants will be Arabs.
The author served as Israel's ambassador
to Egypt and Italy.