Religion and Politics in Jerusalem
1996; Columbia University; Volume: 50; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0022-197X
Autores Tópico(s)Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies
ResumoFew can deny that, as Helena Cobban suggests, what happens in Jerusalem over next couple of years will be major factor, perhaps major factor, in determining whether peace process ... can stay on rails.(1) Jerusalem is listed in so-called Declaration of Principles (DOP) of 13 September 1994, as one of that will be negotiated in permanent status negotiations.(2) These negotiations, originally put off because of Israeli elections on 29 May 1996, commenced on 5 May 1996.(3) For their part, opponents of peace process have tried to thrust Jerusalem to center stage. Thus, Edward Said has declared Jerusalem to be the front line in struggle for Palestine,(4) calling for a concentrated Palestinian strategy(5) to resist Israeli control over city. Gaza-Jericho he tells us, is kind of elaborate distraction, so that Palestinian energies will be absorbed in administering peripheries, while core is left to Israelis.(6) And on right, Mayor Ehud Olmert of Jerusalem urges Jerusalem First policy not only to test Arab intentions, he says, but Labor government's as well.(7) The Likud party is running its current election campaign on theme that Peres will divide Jerusalem.(8) One cannot address question of Jerusalem without starting from an understanding of city as sacred space. It is city in which varied religious communities have specific religious needs. There are innumerable holy places sanctified by text and tradition, and numerous religious rituals dependent on use of city's sacred space.(9) In addition, significant religious communities exist whose presence in history inform and validate religious character of city. These communities have unique political requirements. At same time Jerusalem is nationalist symbol as well. For Israelis, it is symbol of national revival, providing direct link between Zionist impulse and Biblical Commonwealth. For Palestinians, city has become symbol of their political renaissance. Nevertheless, it should be obvious that in Jerusalem religious values and beliefs heavily influence political options. It is not modern West Jerusalem that Jews have dreamed of throughout ages and are prepared to die for today -- it is city of Temple Mount. Similarly, it is not Sheikh Jarrah Street and its commercial environs that begets Arab martyrs but rather Al-kuds, holy city. First, this paper will review religious perspective of Jerusalem for three faiths with which it is associated. Second, it will look at possible resolutions of problem of holy places. Finally, it will consider ways of resolving political sovereignty issues in context of these religious concerns. The Religious Perspective Jewish Perspective The traditional Jewish position on Jerusalem is abundantly clear. For Jews, Jerusalem is mountain of Lord, very core of Jewish people for 3,000 years. Indeed, mishnah (the second century compendium of Jewish laws) tells us that shechina, divine presence, has never left Western Wall. It is symbol of both national and spiritual revival. The Hatikvah, Israeli national anthem, speaks of yearning for Zion and In daily prayers, religious Jew three times day entreats that Lord return in mercy to thy city Jerusalem. There has never been time when Jerusalem was not center of Jewish consciousness. In medieval times elderly Jews traveled to Jerusalem to be buried in its hallowed ground. Throughout centuries they came to live lives of spiritual piety. By 1844 they constituted largest single religious group in city. In 1870s they were an absolute majority, and have remained so ever since. For Jews Jerusalem is not, as in Islam and Christianity, city that encompasses holy places. …
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